


All of Their Tomorrows

by PatL



Series: The Micki and Tracy [4]
Category: Starsky & Hutch
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-07-14
Updated: 2002-07-14
Packaged: 2017-10-10 02:54:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 36,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/94693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PatL/pseuds/PatL
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hutch's past comes back to haunt him just as the two detectives are planning a double wedding. Can they defeat an old nemesis and make all of their tomorrows happy?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Detective Sergeant Ken Hutchinson stood in the center of the room.   
"You can't be serious, Simonetti! Carl Berger has been a cop for 27 years. Why would he go bad now?"  
Internal Affairs Officer Alex Simonetti scowled at the blonde detective. His blue eyes flashed.   
"What's it to you, Hutchinson? He's a vice cop. He's not even a part of your precious Task Force. What are you, his guardian angel?"  
Detective Sergeant David Starsky moved up to stand beside his partner. The calmness of his voice belied his smoldering anger.  
"We're not anybody's guardian angels, Simonetti. Carl is a good cop. He's gotten more commendations than I can count. There's never been a hint of corruption linked to his name. We just hate to see a good cop railroaded by IA. What's the matter? Is business so slow that you have to invent something to investigate?"  
IA Officer Bill Dryden moved to his partner's side. "We don't have to invent anything, Starsky. Just because he's been on the force for a long time doesn't mean he can't go bad. It won't be the first time that it's happened and I'm sure that it won't be the last."  
Starsky and Hutch glanced at each other. They both knew that Dryden was right. They'd both had experience with bad cops. A detective didn't have to be "green" to get tired of the slime he came in contact with every day. However, Carl Berger was a different story. Though he worked in one of the most difficult departments on the police force, he had resisted the temptation of easy money throughout his career. He'd been married to his childhood sweetheart for over thirty years, and had two grown children. His wife, Ellen, was an interior decorator with her own successful business. Their children had gone to college and then moved to the East Coast to embark on their own careers.  
Hutch inhaled slowly and forced himself to calm down. He tried to reason with the IA team.  
"Look, Simonetti, we've checked Carl out. He doesn't gamble; he's not over his head in debt; both he and his wife are in good health; and the kids are doing well on their own. We even checked his bank accounts. They're consistent with Carl's and Ellen's incomes. Exactly what makes you think he's on the take?"  
Simonetti growled. "Who the Hell told you to check him out? You're interfering in an investigation! I'm asking you again. Why? This isn't any of your business! Unless, you know something we don't and you're covering for him."  
Hutch retorted. "There isn't anything to cover for! Carl Berger is clean. What we want to know is, why do you think he's dirty?"  
Dryden tried to diffuse the anger in the room. "Berger has been working on the Troutman case. Are you familiar with it?"  
Starsky shrugged. "Yeah, Robbie Troutman was the high class hooker that got herself killed last month. Vice was supposed to be looking into her connection with that new dating service that just opened up. So far, they've got squat. So?"  
"That new dating service, as you called it, happens to have some very prominent people as its clients. Understandably, they don't want to be linked with a hooker. Even though the investigation has been going on for over a month, no solid leads have surfaced. Robbie Troutman isn't the only employee with a rap sheet. Still, Vice hasn't uncovered any suspects in the homicide. Don't you think that's a bit strange? We think one of the clients doesn't want the case to be solved, and we think said client has somebody in the department in his back pocket."  
Hutch snorted. "And you think that person is Carl Berger? Come on, Dryden. Aren't you reaching just a little for that one? I'm asking you again. What makes you so sure it's Berger?"  
Simonetti answered for his partner. "Because he knows some of the clients. I'm not going to give you any names, but some of them go way back with Berger. Now, they might survive the scandal if they're linked with the dating service, but not if they're linked with a homicide as well. If the case goes on long enough, it will be stashed away in the dead case files. Since the victim was a hooker, who's going to care? The clients will get what they want, and Berger's career won't be hurt by one cold case. Everybody wins, except the dead girl. One less hooker in town won't hurt anybody's feelings."  
"If that's all you've got to go on, Simonetti, you're worse off than we thought. You can't haul somebody up on charges simply because they go way back with the wrong people. Starsky and I go way back with half the perps in this town, but that doesn't mean we're on the take."  
Simonetti sneered. "As far as I'm concerned, that's debatable. Maybe it just means that you're careful and Berger isn't. Maybe he isn't as experienced as you two are."  
Hutch snarled and lunged at Simonetti. Starsky pulled him back before he could strike the IA Officer. He threw a disgusted look at Simonetti.  
"Come on, Hutch. It ain't worth it. They're makin' this up as they go along. If that's all they got, Berger ain't got anything to worry about. Let's go. We're wasting our time with these two clowns."  
Hutch cast one last baleful glance at Simonetti, then allowed Starsky to tow him from the room. The two detectives walked down the hall to the Task Force offices. An older man with greying hair caught their attention.  
Starsky called out, "Hey, Carl, what's up?"  
Carl Berger smiled at the younger detectives, and then frowned at the two IA Officers standing behind them. He dismissed Simonetti and Dryden with a glance, then walked over to Starsky and Hutch.  
"We finally solved the Troutman case, Starsk. Robbie's ex-pimp heard she'd moved up in the world and decided to cash in on her good fortune. He knew Robbie didn't believe in banks, so he figured she had her money stashed somewhere in her apartment. Apparently, she came home too early and caught him trashing her digs. They started fighting, and he conked her over the head with the lamp. Dino's not only mean, he's a little stupid, too. He got so excited when he found the money that he ran out of the room and left the door standing wide open. When Robbie's next trick showed up for his appointment, he found Robbie. It's taken him all this time to screw up enough courage to come forward. He said that he'd rather eat a little crow than have Dino come after him. When the DA hears the name of our witness, the poor man's gonna have a cow."  
Starsky grinned. "I can believe that, considering some of the people we've all ready contacted. Good work, Carl!"  
"Thanks, Starsky. And thank-you too, Hutch. I really appreciate you standing up for me with IA. I've never been investigated before, and it was kind of scary. I've only got three years to go and then I can retire. Ellen and I want to move closer to the kids, and I wouldn't have been able to do that if I lost my pension. Any time you need a favor, just ask. I mean it, guys, anything you need."  
Hutch held out his hand, and Carl shook it. "Don't worry about it, Carl. We knew you were in the clear. I'm glad you solved the case, though. I guess Dino wasn't the brainiest pimp in town, was he?"  
Carl laughed. "He sure wasn't, Hutch." Then he winked at the two detectives and turned to Simonetti.  
"Hey, Simonetti, you know Harold Parker, don't you?"  
Simonetti narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, I know him. He's a security consultant for Macy's. We play racket ball at the health club every week or so. Why?"  
Carl reached into his jacket and pulled out a small notebook. He tossed it to the IA Officer. "We found Robbie's little black book in the glove compartment of Dino's car. Harold's name is on page three. Since there's a gold star beside his name, I'd say he was a very satisfied customer."  
Hutch looked at Starsky, then laughed out loud. He pointed his finger at Simonetti.   
"Looks like you go way back with the wrong people too, Simonetti. Maybe you need to investigate yourself."  
Starsky grinned. "Yeah, and give the rest of us a break for a change."  
The curly haired detective clapped Carl on the back and walked into the office with Hutch right behind him. They were still laughing when the door closed .   
Neither man saw the hateful glare that bored into their backs. Alex Simonetti curled his lip and cursed the two detectives under his breath.  
Later that afternoon, while Starsky and Hutch were out to lunch, Simonetti and Dryden stormed into the Task Force offices. Captain Harold Dobey was the head of the Task Force created by the Commissioner.  
Simonetti got right to the point. "Captain, you need to control your men. Starsky and Hutchinson are interfering in an Internal Affairs investigation, again! They checked out Carl Berger's background without permission and jeopardized the entire case. I demand that you reprimand them and tell them to stay out of IA's business!"  
Dryden cringed at his partner's choice of words and waited for the explosion to follow. He didn't have to wait long.  
Dobey threw the pen down that he was holding and leaned forward. "You DEMAND? Who the Hell do you think you are, Simonetti? Starsky and Hutchinson were looking into the Troutman case at the request of the Commissioner. We've been watching Matchmaker's Incorporated for a while now, and when that hooker was killed, the Commissioner wanted us to follow the case closely. There are a lot of prominent figures in this city that are going to have egg all over their faces, and he didn't want the added scandal of a corrupt cop to make it even worse. Starsky and Hutch were doing their job when they checked Carl out. This Task Force has jurisdiction over any case to which the Commissioner assigns us and that includes the Troutman case! I suggest you come down off your high horse and remember who you're talking to!"  
Simonetti backed up a step. He looked at Dryden for help, but the black man wisely kept silent. He cleared his throat and lowered his voice.  
"Nobody told us the Commissioner was involved. Why didn't Starsky and Hutch say anything about that when I talked to them? Exactly what kind of game are they playing now?"  
Dobey rose up out of his chair. "Maybe they didn't tell you because it was none of your business! You aren't in command of this Task Force. I AM! Now, get the Hell out of my office before you find a reprimand in your file, Detective!"  
Simonetti started to reply, but Dryden put his hand out. "Come on, Alex. Let's get out of here and I'll try to help you pry your foot out of your mouth."  
He made an apologetic face at the Captain, and pushed Simonetti out the door ahead of him. As soon as they were safely down the hall, Dryden turned to his partner.  
"You know, Alex, the next time you get a death wish, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know. I happen to like my head right where it is."  
Simonetti glared at the door behind them. "He's always covering up for them! Mark my words, Bill. Someday, I'm going to take Starsky and Hutch down, and with a little luck, I'll take Dobey down with them. I don't know how I'll do it, or when, but someday."  
Starsky and Hutch spent the remainder of the day doing the paperwork on their end of the Troutman case. Matchmaker's Incorporated was a thinly veiled prostitution ring that hid behind posh offices and pseudo-legal advertising. If it weren't for their impressive list of clients, the whole thing would have been left for Vice to handle. However, when Robbie Troutman was murdered, it made a lot of people nervous. Their careers were on the line, so they went running to the Commissioner for help. As always, the Commissioner turned to the Task Force. The two detectives had spent most of their time doing damage control by gently suggesting that it would be wise for the "clients" to distance themselves from the agency. After doing that, and clearing Carl Berger's name, they gladly sent the case back to Vice.  
That evening, they logged out and went to the Pits. Huggy Bear was waiting for them. Huggy was the owner of the bar, and a long time friend.   
"Well, if it isn't the dynamic duo! What it is, fellas?"  
Starsky grinned. "Hi, Hug. How's it goin'? Are Tracy and Micki here yet? We were supposed to meet them for dinner. We're a little late."  
Huggy snorted. "And that's something new? I tell ya, when you guys get married, it's going to be Hell gettin' you all to the church on time. When it gets closer to the big day, I'm going to suggest to Dobey that he put you all in protective custody. At least we'll know where you are then."  
Hutch chuckled. "Dobey might just go along with that. It's yours and Dobey's job as best men to make sure the wedding starts on time. So, are they here yet?"  
Huggy's eyes sparkled. "Nope. You're in luck, my blonde brother. The girls called a while ago. Dobey caught them as they were headed out the door. He said he had something important to talk to them about."  
"Did they say what it was about?"  
"Nope. They just said for you to go ahead and grab something to eat, and they'd be here ASAP."  
Starsky shrugged. "Well, that's good enough for me. Let's grab a table, Hutch. I'm starved."  
Hutch rolled his eyes. "To paraphrase Huggy, 'and that's something new'? Come on, Gordo. Let's get you something to eat before you die of starvation. Hopefully, the girls will be here, soon."  
The duo seated themselves at a nearby table and ordered something to eat. Huggy brought it to them and joined them for a bit. Hutch told him about the run in with the IA detectives and about Carl Berger's little surprise for Simonetti.  
Huggy shook his head. "Those cats have been after you two for a long time. I don't get it. You guys are so clean that you give this place a bad name when you walk in the door. What did you do to make them so pissed at you?"  
Starsky shoved another French fry in his mouth and gestured with his hands. "Who knows? They don't like the way me and Hutch do things, I guess. We don't always go by the book, and Simonetti acts like he wrote the damn thing. Maybe we insult his integrity, or somethin'."  
Hutch laughed. "That's a good one, partner. I'll have to remember that. Of course, let us not forget who handcuffed Dryden to my kitchen table. That didn't exactly endear us to them, either."  
Huggy helped himself to a fry. "But you guys found out who murdered Vanessa and you helped put that guy away. So Dryden got his nose out of joint a little. That still doesn't explain their personal crusade to trash your careers."  
Hutch shook his head. "I think Dryden just put the whole thing down to experience. He doesn't seem to be the one carrying a grudge. Simonetti is the one who keeps going off the deep end. Let's face it, Hug, We just rub each other the wrong way. We could be as straight as an arrow and he still wouldn't be satisfied."  
Huggy spread his hands out. "All I know is those two dudes are bad news. I sure wouldn't want to be on their bad side."  
Starsky snickered. "Trouble is, Hug, I don't think they have a good side. But, don't worry. Hutch and me know how to take care of ourselves."  
"I hope so, Curly. Just watch your backs, though. This establishment would be too quiet without you two."  
Hutch grinned at his partner. "Awww, I think he likes us, Starsk."  
The three men spent the next few minutes talking as they waited for Micki and Tracy. Hutch's expression grew serious when he saw the two women come in the door.  
"Uh oh, whatever Dobey had to tell them, I don't think it was good news."  
Micki Ellis and Tracy Edwards were not in the best of moods when they walked into the Pits. Micki walked up to Hutch and put her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. He traded a glance with Starsky and held her close. Starsky shrugged as Tracy embraced him. Hutch held Micki close for a minute, then helped her sit down.  
He kept his voice gentle. "What's wrong, Mick?"  
Micki put her elbow on the table and propped her chin up with her hand. She sighed.  
"I really hate this job sometimes."  
Huggy looked sympathetic. "Can I get you something to soothe your psyche, Irish?"  
Micki looked up at her friend. "Yeah, a slow gin fizz. Heavy on the gin and light on the fizz."  
Huggy looked at her like she'd told him the earth was flat. "Are you sure about that, Micki? That stuff packs a hidden punch if you're not used to it, which you're not."  
Tracy nodded. "Make that two, Hug. I think it's time we got used to it."  
Hutch looked at the Bear. "Bring them something to eat, too, Hug. Booze isn't good on an empty stomach."  
Huggy nodded and went to get their orders. Hutch turned to the girls.  
"OK, spill it. What's wrong?"  
Tracy rubbed the back of her neck, trying to ease the tension. "Have you ever heard of a man by the name of George Stanley?"  
Starsky thought for a moment, then nodded. "He was arrested for raping two or three teen age girls, wasn't he? That was about the same time we graduated from the Academy."  
"Yeah, they gave him fifteen to twenty. He came up for parole a few weeks ago. Micki and I were assigned to his case. We evaluated him, and recommended against parole. He showed no signs of remorse and we got the impression that he'd do it again as soon as he got out. We submitted our report to the parole board last week. Dobey got their decision today. That's what he wanted to talk to us about."  
Hutch frowned. "Don't tell me. They ruled against you and granted him parole."  
Micki nodded. "You got it. He conned them completely. They should have given him an Oscar for his performance. We fought them tooth and nail, but what do we know? We're young, and we're female. We couldn't possibly know more than a bunch of grey haired old men."  
"I wish I could say you were wrong about that, but I know how tough it's been for you and Tracy. It's still a man's world in some ways, Mick. You just have to keep fighting. It will get better, I promise."  
Micki sighed. "Yeah, and in the meantime, a serial rapist is going back on the street. I'll bet that he isn't out more than a month before he's back to his old habits."  
Tracy nodded. "Yep, and there isn't a damned thing we can do about it."  
Micki looked at her partner. "Sounds like a good reason to tie one on to me."


	2. Chapter 2

Hutch moaned under his breath and opened his eyes. He looked over at the small form sleeping beside him. Micki lay on her side, snuggled up against him. A small frown creased his face as he looked around the room. This definitely wasn't their apartment. Hutch raised himself up on one elbow and nudged Micki gently.  
"Micki, wake up. Come on, wake up."  
Micki groaned and opened her eyes. "What? What's wrong, Ken?"  
"I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Toto."  
Micki put her hands on her head. "Oh, my head! What did you say?"  
"I said, where are we? We're not home, that's for sure."  
Micki sat up and looked around the room. The furniture and the decor penetrated her fogged mind.  
"We're in a hotel room. Why?"  
Hutch shrugged. "You got me, kid. The last thing I remember is being at the Pits, with Starsky and Tracy. I have no idea how we got here, or why."  
"Well, don't ask me! I don't remember anything else, either."  
Hutch sat up and held his head in his hands. "All I can say is it must have been some party. I haven't had a hangover like this in years."  
"I think I've got some aspirin in my purse, if I can find it."  
Micki started opening the drawers in the nightstand. Her small handbag lay in the top drawer. As she took it out, a piece of paper that was lying underneath caught her attention. She squinted her eyes against the throbbing in her head.   
"Las Vegas? What the Hell are we doing in Las Vegas? And how did we get here?"  
Hutch took the hotel stationary from her. He shook his head, then winced at the pain that the movement caused.  
"I have no idea, but we need to figure this out. I guess it's a good thing we were supposed to be off duty for the next few days. Maybe we can figure it out by then."  
"Yeah, and figure out a way to get back home. Look, why don't you make some coffee? There's a coffee pot on the dresser. Maybe it will help clear the cobwebs from our minds."  
"OK. We can wash those aspirin down with the coffee."  
"Sounds good to me. I'm going to splash some water on my face. I won't be long."  
Micki grabbed her purse and went into the bathroom. Hutch slipped into his trousers and walked over to the coffee pot. As the coffee was brewing, another piece of paper caught his eye. He picked it up and read it, then blinked. He shook his head, ignoring the pain this time, and read it again.  
"Uh, Micki? Hey, Mick! I think you'd better take a look at this!"  
Micki came out of the bathroom, her hand still holding her head. "God, Ken. Don't yell! I think my head's going to explode."  
"Sorry, but you need to look at this."   
Hutch handed her the paper, then watched as she read it. Her green eyes widened and she looked up at him. Together, they backed up to the bed and sat down.   
They both spoke at the same time. "Oh my God, we're married!"   
Micki looked at the marriage certificate like it was a snake. She shook her head glumly. "My mom is going to kill us."  
Hutch nodded morosely. "Everybody's going to kill us. We've had this big double wedding planned for months. Now what do we do?"  
Micki groaned. "Has anybody ever overdosed on aspirin?"  
Hutch rolled his eyes. "I don't think so. Still, we do have our guns. Somewhere."  
"Oh, that's good. I can see the headlines now. 'Detectives commit double suicide after eloping'. Why don't we just concentrate on trying to get out of here? We can figure out what we're going to do after we get home."  
Before Hutch could answer, the telephone rang, making them jump. Hutch grabbed the offending instrument and answered it.  
"Hello?"  
The voice on the other end was irritatingly cheerful. "Well, how's the newlyweds doin' this morning?"  
"Starsky? Where the Hell are you?"  
"Right down the hall, in 314. How's your head this morning, partner?"  
Hutch sighed. "OK, Starsk, spill it. What happened last night? How did we get to Vegas, and how did we manage to get married?"  
Starsky laughed. "You mean you don't remember, buddy? I'm not surprised. You and Micki sure tied one on last night. Tracy quit after two drinks, so you decided to join Micki so she wouldn't be drinkin' alone. You guys decided that you didn't want to wait to tie the knot, and were going to drive down. Neither one of you was exactly in the right shape to drive. So, we flew. We tried to talk you out of it, but you weren't having any of that. Tracy and I came along to keep an eye on you two. Don't worry, the marriage is legal. You already had your marriage license and the blood tests, so there wasn't any problems."  
"No problems? How about the hundred or so guests that expect to see us get married? Never mind. Can we just get out of here? I think I've had enough of Vegas for a while."  
He could tell Starsky was grinning by his voice. "Sure. That's why I called. If you think you can handle some food, we've got time for a quick bite before our plane leaves. And I wouldn't worry too much about the guests. You can just tell'em this was a dry run."  
"Gee, thanks, Starsk. I hadn't thought of that. Look, give us a few minutes, then we'll be ready. I'm not that hungry, but I sure don't want to get on that plane with a hangover and an empty stomach."  
"OK, see you in about fifteen minutes."  
Hutch hung up the phone and turned to his new wife. "Well, it's legal. Starsky said we decided to elope and they couldn't talk us out of it. They're in 314, down the hall. We have time for a quick breakfast, then it's back home to face the music."  
"And the condemned men get a last meal. Oh, well, I guess we might as well enjoy it. You sure you want to go back? Alaska is looking pretty good right now."  
"Don't tempt me. Starsky sounded too cheerful over the phone. I know he'll never let me live this one down."  
"Yeah, I can hear Tracy now. I guess it could be worse. People elope every day. That's what Vegas is for. We can still go on with the wedding. There's no law against marrying the same person twice, I think."  
Hutch snorted. "Let's hope not. Come on, we'd better get going. Starsky will be here in a few minutes."  
As they expected, there was a knock at the door a few minutes later. Starsky was still grinning as he and Tracy walked into the room. Hutch pointed a finger at him.  
"Don't even start. Let's just get out of here."  
Starsky laughed out loud and jerked his thumb at the door. "You got it, Blintz. I won't say a word. Let's go. I can hear some bacon and eggs callin' my name right now."  
As the two couples walked down the stairs, they heard a voice behind them.  
"Well, if it isn't the newlyweds. Congratulations, Hutchinson."  
All four detectives swung around to face the owner of the voice. Hutch spat out the words.  
"Simonetti! What are you doing here?"  
"I came down for a seminar. I got here a few hours before you did. I have to admit, the show you all put on was a lot more interesting than my seminar."  
Tracy spoke before Hutch could make a retort. "You can stop right there, Simonetti. We're off duty and this isn't IA's business."  
Simonetti leered at the blonde woman. "It is when a member of the Commissioner's precious Task Force makes a public spectacle of himself. You people walked in last night with all the finesse of a bull elephant. I'm surprised Security didn't throw you all out on your collective ears."  
Micki rolled her eyes. "Lighten up, Simonetti. Your stuffed shirt is showing."  
The other three snickered. Tracy nodded. "Yeah, you do look a little stiff. Micki and Hutch didn't commit any crimes, Simonetti. Everyone is entitled to blow off a little steam, even detectives."  
"We'll see if Lieutenant Griffey agrees with that. I think he'll go along with conduct unbecoming an officer, if nothing else. I'm finally going to get you, Hutchinson, and the rest of you, too."  
Micki shook her head. "Oh, come on, Simonetti! You can't be serious. I think you've been out in the sun too long. Your brain is fried."  
Simonetti grinned ferociously. "Very funny. We'll see who's laughing after I get back to town. Have a nice flight, everyone."  
He gave a small wave of his hand and walked out the door. Micki turned to her partner.  
"He's full of it. He can't really do anything, can he?"  
Tracy shrugged thoughtfully. "I don't think so, but who knows? I think we should get back home and talk to Dobey. I don't see how IA could get excited about the two of you eloping, but I don't trust Simonetti. He hates Ken and David enough to bend a few rules of his own."  
"Oh, that's great. Not only are our families going to kill us, we gotta worry about that nut, too."  
The trip home was uneventful for the four detectives. Since Starsky had wisely left the Torino in Huggy's care, they took a cab back to the Pits. Micki's car was still parked beside Starsky's, so they made a date for dinner that evening, and went home.  
Hutch drove up to their apartment and opened the car door for Micki. After he unlocked the door to the apartment, he turned and swept Micki into his arms. She let out a delighted yelp.  
"Hey, what's this?"  
He kissed her and set her down on the other side. "Well, I figured that since we were married, the least I could do was carry you over the threshold."  
She smiled and stood on tiptoe to kiss him. "Yeah, we kind of lost sight of that in the confusion. We are married, aren't we? You know what that means, don't you?"  
"I'm almost afraid to ask. What?"  
"It means that I've got you now, and I won't ever let you go."  
He took her in his arms. "Is that a promise, Mrs. Hutchinson?"  
She wrapped her arms around his neck. "You'd better believe it, Sergeant Hutchinson, and I never break a promise."  
The unpleasant memories of the last hours were forgotten as he took her into their bedroom and showed her what he thought about that. Hours later, they decided they'd better shower and get ready for their date with Starsky and Tracy. Huggy Bear would be the first person they told about their elopement. This was only fitting, because Huggy was a close friend of all four of them.  
When they told the proprietor of the Pits the news, he laughed and clapped his hands. "Well, this sounds like a good time for a celebration. Dinner and drinks are on me."  
Micki winced. "Dinner sounds great, Hug, but we'll skip the drinks for now, if you don't mind. I think I'm going on the wagon for a long, long, time."  
Huggy grinned. "Well, that has to be the shortest trip OFF the wagon in history. I dig what you're saying though. I guess you don't remember much about last night, do you?"  
"No, which is part of the reason we're going through with the double ceremony with David and Tracy. I only plan on getting married to one man, and I'd like to remember it."  
Hutch nodded. "Not to mention the fact that we're going to make a whole lot of people mad if we don't go through with it."  
Starsky looked thoughtful. "I wonder if Simonetti will crash this wedding?"  
Huggy frowned. "Simonetti? Why would he crash you guy's wedding? And what do you mean, THIS wedding?"  
Hutch explained. "It seems we had an uninvited guest last night. Simonetti was in Vegas for some kind of seminar and he saw us come in. I guess we put on a pretty good show. He's probably in Griffey's office right now, drumming up charges."  
Huggy snorted. "For getting drunk and eloping? Hell, half the tourists in Vegas do the same thing. What kind of charges can that clown drum up?"  
Hutch shrugged. "We're cops, Huggy. We're supposed to conduct ourselves properly in public. I can't see Griffey going along with him, but Simonetti could be trouble. I sure don't want him digging around in old files. There's no telling what he could invent."  
The three men knew what Hutch was referring to, but Tracy and Micki were mystified.  
"What are you talking about, Ken? I know Simonetti and Dryden have been a thorn in your side for years, but you've always come out clean before now. He can't hurt you if there's nothing there."  
"I know, Mick, but he's like a dog with a bone. He won't let go until he gets all the meat. I just don't want him to come after you, too."  
"He won't, so don't worry. This is supposed to be a celebration. Let's forget about IA for tonight, OK? We can deal with Simonetti tomorrow."  
Huggy clapped his hands. "Sounds good to me. Let's par-tay!"  
The party was a roaring success, even though the guests of honor decided to stay sober. The two couples left the Pits before midnight and went home. They still had to break the news to Dobey. Hutch wasn't looking forward to telling his superior about Simonetti's reaction to their impromptu wedding.  
Meanwhile, Micki left to tell her family about their adventure. A staunch believer in a frontal assault, she didn't want to give them the news over the phone. She gladly left Dobey to her new husband as she and Tracy went to visit her family.  
Hutch was secretly relieved that Micki had let him and Starsky talk to Dobey alone. He knew Micki wouldn't have any problems with her family, and he wanted to talk to Dobey candidly about Simonetti's threats. Dobey was amused by the elopement, but not by Simonetti's appearance.  
Dobey's face wrinkled into a frown. "What the Hell was he doing in Las Vegas?"  
Hutch spread his hands out in front of him. "He said he was there for a seminar of some kind. Apparently, he saw the whole thing, and wasn't amused by our little show."  
"Well, it doesn't matter what he thought. You were off duty, and you weren't endangering yourself or anyone else by getting drunk and getting married. I wouldn't worry too much about his threats, Hutchinson."  
Hutch sat down in the chair and sighed. "I'm not worried about those threats, Captain. I'm worried about what he might find out if he starts digging into our past."  
Dobey sat back and stared thoughtfully at his detectives. "It's been six years, Hutch. No one knows what happened besides the three of us, and Huggy. Bernie has never talked about what he saw in that alley, so I don't think he's going to start now. Simonetti doesn't know anything."  
"I know that, Captain, or at least my head knows that. I just can't shake this feeling. Simonetti is after blood, and I don't think he'll stop at a trumped up charge that won't hold water."  
Starsky nodded slowly. "I agree with Hutch, Cap. Simonetti's had his panties in a wad ever since Vanessa was murdered. The DA didn't appreciate the egg on his face after we found Van's real killer. Swearing out a warrant on Hutch for Murder One wasn't exactly the best decision he's ever made. And you can bet the DA let Simonetti know how he felt."  
Dobey tilted his head at the brunette. "I know Simonetti's a little overzealous sometimes, but I can't believe that he's turned bad. Griffey will keep him under control. If he gives you a hard time, Hutch, let me know and I'll handle it. Don't antagonize him any further. Concentrate on the wedding, and your new bride. Simonetti will get tired of taking pot shots at you if you don't let it bother you. He'll find something else to occupy his time."  
Hutch made a wry face. "Or someone else. All right, Captain, I'll let it drop, for now. God knows I don't want him taking this out on Micki."  
Dobey softened his voice. "Have you told Micki about what happened?"  
Hutch looked down at the ring on his finger. "No. I've started to so many times, but I just can't do it. I know that she'd understand, but I can't. Maybe I'll find the nerve to tell her someday, but not now, not while Simonetti is stalking us."  
"You'll tell her, when the time is right. It's over, Hutch. You have to let it go sooner or later. It has nothing to do with who you are."  
"I know, Captain. Thanks. I haven't forgotten who helped me, either, and I never will. I owe you and Huggy, and Starsk, more than I can ever repay."  
Dobey allowed himself a rare smile. "So, you can start by getting out of my office and going home to Micki. We have a wedding to think about! It's time to celebrate, not worry. Now, go on, you two, get out of here!"  
The two detectives laughed and walked out of the office. Starsky turned to his partner.   
"Do you feel better now?"  
"Yeah, I guess so. Everything's been going so good, Starsk. I just don't want anything to ruin it."  
"It won't, buddy, I promise. We won't let it. Me and thee, remember?"  
Hutch smiled. "I remember."  
The four detectives went back into their normal routine, waiting anxiously for the big day to arrive. Setting up a double wedding hadn't been easy. It would mean that all four of them would be gone for two full weeks, leaving only Simmons and Babcock to hold down the fort. Dobey had assured them that he would pull in other detectives as needed. The Task Force was getting more and more assignments as the Commissioner relied on the multi-jurisdictional department, instead of the typical ones in the precinct. The staff had grown from the three of them to six, and more would soon be needed anyway. With each successful case, the Task Force was acquiring a formidable reputation.  
Exactly one week after Hutch and Micki's elopement, Starsky and Hutch were sitting in the blonde detective's apartment, waiting for the girls to arrive. Most of the arrangements for the wedding were finished, with only a few details remaining. The biggest hurdle had already been solved: they were going to have a non-denominational wedding in the park near Micki's mother's home. Since Starsky was Jewish, Hutch was Lutheran, and Micki and Tracy were Baptists, a religious ceremony would have been a nightmare to coordinate. So, in order to preserve the peace in the four families, they had chosen a Justice of the Peace to perform the actual ceremony. Gary Owens was a long time friend of the two male detectives, and had been only too happy to offer his services. Huggy Bear had already agreed to cater the reception, in addition to being Starsky's best man. It had seemed only fitting to have Captain Dobey as Hutch's best man. Dobey had often referred to Starsky and Hutch as "my boys", and was touched by the offer. He had watched them grow from two brash, young detectives to two seasoned professionals. Of course, he had covered up his true emotions by gruffly telling Edith that "it's about time they settled down with two nice girls".  
The two men took advantage of the girls' absence by finishing the arrangements for the honeymoon. By carefully avoiding the subject whenever Micki and Tracy were around, they had managed to keep their destination a secret. Tracy's mother, and Micki's, had offered to pack a suitcase for each bride a few days before the wedding. The bride's wouldn't know where they would be going until after the wedding.   
As they talked, Hutch prepared dinner for the four of them. The two women would be home soon, and dinner would create a nice diversion, away from the subject of the honeymoon. He had just put the casserole in the oven when the phone rang.  
Starsky groaned. "I knew it! It's been too quiet lately. Either that's Dobey, or Tracy, telling us we've got another assignment."  
Hutch tried to sound hopeful. "Maybe not. Maybe they're just letting us know they're on the way home."  
Starsky snorted. "Dream on, Blondie."  
Hutch picked up the receiver. "Hutchinson."  
"Hutch? It's Dobey. I think you'd better get down to the Main Street Deli right away. The address is 864 South Main."  
"What's going on, Captain?"  
"Adam 51 called in a dead body about twenty minutes ago. From the description, it looks like George Stanley is at it again."  
"Stanley?! He's been out for how long, a week?"  
"Almost two, but that doesn't matter. Micki and Tracy were here when the call came in, and they took off before I could stop them. I don't have to tell you how they felt about Stanley's release. We've got an APB out on Stanley, but I think you'd better run interference in case the press shows up. There's going to be Hell to pay when the press finds out Stanley was released against our recommendations. All the Commissioner wants is a firm "no comment" from us. He doesn't want this to turn into a war between us and the parole board."  
"All right, Captain, but I don't think Micki will stop at "no comment". The parole board better cover their collective asses PDQ. Micki doesn't care whose dirty laundry she airs in public, especially when they make a mistake like this one."  
"As a fellow police officer, I agree. But, as head of this Task Force, I have to abide by the Commissioner's wishes. Have them come back here, and we'll straighten the whole mess out, away from the media."  
Hutch sighed. "OK, Captain. We'll be there as soon as we can."  
He put down the phone and turned off the oven. He grabbed his jacket and motioned to Starsky.  
"Come on, partner. We have to stop World War Three before it starts."  
"What? You're not making any sense, Hutch."  
"George Stanley just reverted back to his old habits, and the shit is about to hit the fan, Micki-style."  
Starsky grabbed his jacket, and slammed the front door behind them. "Terrific."  
By the time they arrived at the scene, the ME's assistants were loading the body into the coroner's wagon. Starsky stopped them long enough to examine the young girl's body. George Stanley's signature, two pink barrettes, held her blonde hair away from her face. Hutch stood beside his partner, looking at the corpse.  
"Looks like George decided to escalate. He didn't kill those other girls, did he?"  
Starsky shook his head. "No, that's why he got fifteen to twenty instead of life. Guess he can kiss his senior years good-bye, too."  
Starsky covered her face, and motioned for the men to go on. As the wagon pulled onto the street, he saw Micki and Tracy, sitting on the curb. The two detectives exchanged glances and walked over to them. Hutch sat down beside his wife.  
Micki stared straight ahead. "We told them this was going to happen. They wouldn't listen and now a fifteen-year-old kid will never go home again. This job really stinks sometimes."  
Hutch picked her hand up in his and kissed it gently. "Come on, Dobey wants us back at the station."  
The four detectives drove back to the station. When they walked into Dobey's office, there was another man with him. Hutch thought he was vaguely familiar, then realized who he was. He had only seen him once before. Walter Brewer was the senior officer on the California Corrections Parole Board. Micki advanced on him like a miniature torpedo.  
"Did you come to gloat, Brewer? Have you seen George's latest trophy? Would you like to go down to the morgue and see her?"  
Brewer backed up a step. "We're not sure it was George Stanley. You're out of line, detective."  
"Out of line?! Why don't you go down to the morgue and take a look, Brewer?! George Stanley's signature is all over that girl's body. After he rapes them, he puts pink barrettes in their hair. He likes them young, you see. They almost look like little dolls. You let a known rapist back on the street, after we TOLD you that he would repeat his crimes. You wouldn't listen to us, because we're female. We had plenty of evidence, but you didn't care. All you saw was how young we were, and that we were the wrong sex. As far as you're concerned, the only place for a woman is at home, barefoot and pregnant. YOU'RE THE ONE OUT OF LINE!!!!!"  
"George Stanley has been a model prisoner for fifteen years. There was no evidence that he would commit any further crimes."  
Tracy moved to her partner's side. "There was evidence, Brewer. You just refused to see it. We talked to Stanley's cellmates. Do you know what he called his victims? Slut puppies. As far as he was concerned, any female over the age of thirteen was fair game. They weren't human beings. They were pleasure toys; HIS pleasure toys. Bay City was his playground, and you turned him loose."  
Brewer protested. "We talked to his cellmates. They never told us anything."  
Micki shook her head. "They weren't going to talk to you. You're the man. In case you haven't noticed, we're psychologists. We know how to ask the questions, and how to interpret the answers."  
Tracey nodded. "We also did some investigating. Did you know that over the past two years, George Stanley checked out every book in the prison library related to parole hearings, and psychological testing? He studied, Brewer. He knew what questions you were going to ask, and he knew exactly how to answer them. He conned you and you fell for it."  
Micki snarled at him. "Now we get to tell that girl's father that his daughter is dead. We get to explain to him that a known rapist was out on parole for two lousy weeks, and now his little girl is gone. I hope you see her face in the mirror for the rest of your life, Brewer. I hope your precious reputation was worth her life."  
Before the shaken parole officer could reply, the telephone rang. Dobey snatched it up.  
"Dobey." He listened for a moment, then said, "OK, you know what to do. Good work, Simmons."  
He hung up the phone and turned to Walter Brewer. "They just captured George Stanley. He was headed back to the Lawrence Motel. There was blood on his clothes, and he was carrying Alma Thompson's backpack when Simmons and Babcock stopped him. They're booking him now, and the clothes and backpack will be taken to the crime lab for analysis."  
Micki glared at Walter Brewer. "Are you happy now, Brewer? Is that enough proof for you?"  
She turned and walked out of the office, with Tracy close behind her. Brewer jumped as the door slammed shut.  
Walter Brewer was pale when he turned to the Captain. "What are you going to do now, Captain?"  
Dobey struggled to control his anger. "Do? I'm not going to do anything. My detectives gave their full attention to George Stanley's case, and presented their results to you before the hearing. You dropped the ball, Brewer. You let your personal views influence your decision. Now you have to live with it. My advice would be for you to eat a generous helping of crow. Apologize for this horrible lapse in judgement, and promise a full investigation into the parole program. Then take your medicine."  
Brewer nodded thoughtfully. "I'll talk to the Warden and get with our P.R. people. I think I can promise you that George Stanley will be back in his cell ASAP, and he won't be getting out again, ever."  
He nodded quickly at Starsky and Hutch, then started to leave. Before he could open the door, Dobey stopped him.  
"And, Brewer, the next time my detectives object to a prisoner getting paroled, LISTEN!!!"  
The cowed parole officer nodded quickly and almost ran out the door. Starsky and Hutch traded looks and shook their heads sadly. Hutch turned to their Captain.  
"Is there anything you need us to do, Captain?"  
"No, I think Simmons and Babcock can handle Stanley. Maybe you'd better catch up with Micki and take her home. I think she needs to cool off a bit before she runs into any reporters."  
Hutch grinned. "Good idea, Captain. I wouldn't want to see all your hard work go down the drain. If Micki gets her hands on a reporter right now, it will set our relations with the prison system back ten years. We'll see you in the morning."  
Starsky and Hutch left the office in search of Micki and Tracy. They rounded the corner just in time to see a defiant Micki standing in front of Simonetti.   
"Leave me alone, Simonetti. This doesn't have a damned thing to do with IA. The parole board screwed up, not us. Why don't you go after them for a change?"  
"Do you mean somebody didn't listen to the great Micki Ellis? Oh, excuse me. I mean Micki Hutchinson. Could it be possible that you don't walk on water after all?"  
Micki snarled. "Go to Hell, Simonetti."  
Tracey smiled sweetly at the IA detective as they walked past him. "What she said."  
Simonetti sneered at the two women, then stiffened when he saw Starsky and Hutch standing there.   
"You'd better control your wife, Hutchinson. Her mouth is going to get her in big trouble some day."  
The blonde detective advanced slowly on his nemesis. "I've had just about enough of you, Simonetti. This doesn't have anything to do with Micki. It's between you and me. If you want to come after me, then take your best shot. But you leave my wife ALONE! Understand?"  
Before Simonetti could answer, another voice came from behind them. "What's going on here?"  
Hutch whirled around and saw Lieutenant Bob Griffey standing beside Starsky. "Ask your man, Lieutenant."  
"I'm asking you, Sergeant. I want to see both of you in my office, now."  
Ten minutes later, they were standing in front of Griffey's desk. The Lieutenant looked calmly at Hutch.  
"Now, I want to know what that was about. Sergeant Hutchinson?"  
"Simonetti has been on a vendetta against Starsky and me for years. He's brought trumped up charges against us before, and we've always beaten them. But now he's sticking his nose in my personal life, and I don't like it. If he thinks we've committed a crime, then bring charges and let us answer them. If he can't substantiate those charges, then tell him to get off our backs. Micki's been through enough this year. She doesn't need him dogging her."  
"Why would he be dogging her? To my knowledge, she hasn't done anything warranting IA's attentions."  
Hutch drew a calming breath and spoke slowly. "Look, Lieutenant. We got drunk and eloped. That might have been a little irresponsible, but we're planning on going ahead with the wedding anyway. No one will suffer for it. Simonetti has already tried and convicted us on conduct unbecoming. Every time we turn around, he's there, harassing us. I'm getting tired of it. I shouldn't have to defend my personal life to anyone, not even IA."  
"I agree. As long as you don't commit any crimes, your personal life is outside the jurisdiction of Internal Affairs. You have my sincere apologies. I'm sure I can keep Detective Simonetti occupied from now on. He won't be harassing you any more."  
"Thank-you, Lieutenant. If that's all, I'd like to go home now. If I know my wife, and I do, she's going to be blaming herself for that kid's death."  
"Of course. Oh, and congratulations, to both of you."  
"Thanks, Lieutenant."   
Hutch threw a scathing look at Simonetti and strode out the door. Griffey looked at his man.  
"I don't know what kind of grudge you're carrying against Starsky and Hutchinson, but you're treading on dangerous ground. Internal Affairs wasn't created as a weapon for your personal feuds. We're not vigilante's, Alex. We're supposed to go after the bad guys, not the good guys, remember?"  
Simonetti answered with clenched jaws. "Yes, sir."  
As he walked out the door, he fumed to himself. "If you want a war, Hutchinson, I'll give you a war."  
Simonetti was still fuming when he got back to his desk. Bill Dryden looked up from the report he was working on and whistled softly when he saw his partner's face.  
"Whoa! What's the matter with you? You look like you could bite nails in half. Let me guess. Starsky and Hutchinson. Right?"  
"Right. Griffey just had Hutchinson and me in his office, and Hutchinson came out smelling like a rose. How do they do it? Those two hotshots threw the book away the minute they graduated from the academy, and nobody cares! I've busted my ass at this job for ten years now, and what does Griffey do? He tells me to stop harassing them!"  
"At the risk of getting my head bit off, did you ever stop to think that maybe they aren't dirty? I know, they've bent a few rules, but they get results. The word on the street is they don't take bribes. I don't understand what it is about them that sets you off."  
Simonetti glared at his partner. "Don't tell me you're on their side? I thought you felt the same way."  
"I'm not on anybody's side, Alex. When Hutchinson's ex-wife was murdered in his apartment, with his gun, I thought he was guilty. But, they found the real killer and Hutchinson was cleared. I still owe Starsky for handcuffing me to Hutchinson's table, but that's personal. I won't let it influence the way I do my job. To put it bluntly, I haven't seen any evidence that proves they're corrupt."  
"They ARE corrupt, and I'll prove it, to you and everybody else. Mark my words, Bill. I will prove it."  
At that moment, the telephone rang. Simonetti snatched it up and growled. "Yeah?"  
"Ooops, sorry Boss. Did I call at a bad time?"  
Boss? Simonetti thought. "Who the Hell is this?"  
"It's Louie. I know I haven't called in a while, but things have been kinda dry lately."  
"Oh, Louie. What do you want? I'm busy right now."  
"I'm in kind of a jam, and I thought you might help me out. I've got some good skinny for you, if we can work out a deal."  
"Louie, I don't have the time to dance with you. What have you done now?"  
"I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time, Boss. I was talking to a friend of mine in this hotel, and the cops raided it. I didn't know it was a crack house, honestly. I don't do the hard stuff. You know that."  
"So, what did they get you on?"  
"Possession with intent to sell. The thing is, I'm still on parole from that last beef. If I get convicted, I go back to the slam for ten more years. I can't do that, Boss. Please help me. I promise, if you come down here, I'll make it worth your time. You won't regret it."  
"Oh, all right, but this had better be good! I'm not going to fight a drug rap if you're just giving me the run around."  
"I ain't, Boss. You got my word on that."  
Simonetti sighed. "All right, I'll be down in a few minutes. Don't say anything to anybody until I get there. Understand?"  
"You got it, Boss."  
Thirty minutes later, Simonetti was sitting at a table with Louis Holmes.   
"Well, Louie, I already know what you want from me. What's this great information that you're supposed to have?"  
"I happen to know that you ain't exactly best friends with Starsky and Hutchinson, and neither am I. Those two have been a pain in the ass for a long time now. Like I said, I don't do the hard stuff, but I like to smoke a little weed and play the horses once in a while. Those two clowns act like it's their own personal crusade to put me away. They're the ones that sent me up the last time. I'm facing hard time because of them. There's something I've been holding on to for a long time, but if you'll get me out of this rap, it's yours. It will take both those assholes down, I promise."  
Simonetti sat back in his chair and looked his informant over with new respect. "Well, you've certainly piqued my curiosity, Louie. Exactly what do you have?"  
"If you'll go over to my pad, you'll see for yourself, Boss. It's in the top drawer of my dresser, in a brown envelope. It will knock your socks off, I swear. I'll tell you what. You go over and take a look at it, and then you come back here. If it ain't as good as I say it is, I'll take the possession rap and do the time. I won't bug you again, ever."  
"OK, I'll make the trip, just to see what you have. If it's gold, I'll make a deal with the DA. Sit tight. I'll be back soon. Oh, do I need a key?"  
Louie threw his head back and cackled. "A key? Now, what could I possibly have that anyone would want? Besides, if the people that I run around with want to get in, they'll get in, and they don't need no key."  
"I'm on my way, then. I'll be back soon."  
Simonetti knocked on the door and waited for the guard to let him out. "Keep him here. I have some information that I need to check out. It won't take long."  
"Sure, Detective. Take your time."  
"Oh, and get him something to eat and drink. No booze, though."  
"Yes, sir. I'll call down to the commissary and have them send up a tray."  
Simonetti nodded to the guard and walked calmly out the door. As soon as he was outside, he sprinted for his car. If Louie was telling the truth, for once in his life, this might be the answer to his prayers. God, just let it be, he prayed. For once, let me win. He drove the short distance to Louie's run down hotel room, holding his breath most of the way. Without even glancing at the desk clerk, he ran up the stairs and shoved open Louie's door. He crossed the room in three long strides and yanked open the dresser drawer. As his fingers pawed through the worn out clothes, he felt the stiff brown envelope underneath. Simonetti closed his eyes and said another short prayer. Then, he pulled out the contents of the envelope and opened one eye, and then the other. His eyes grew wider as he looked at the prize in his hand. His sinister laugh echoed around the room.  
"By God, I've got you now, Hutchinson! Even Dobey won't be able to get you out of this one!"

Hutch caught up with Starsky and the two men drove back to Hutch's apartment. Both men braced themselves before going inside. Their quiet evening at home had been forgotten by the tragic events of the day. Instead of trying to resurrect the casserole Hutch had started to prepare, they settled on pizza and a bottle of wine. They doubted that Micki or Tracy would have much of an appetite now. The two women were sitting in Hutch's greenhouse, talking quietly. Hutch sat the pizza and wine on the kitchen table, then joined the girls. He sat down beside Micki, and Starsky sat beside Tracy.  
Hutch put his arm around his wife. "I talked to Griffey after you left. I saw Simonetti giving you grief, and told him to bug off. Griffey heard what I said and called us into his office. I told him what Simonetti has been up to, and he told Simonetti to cool it. I don't think we'll have to worry about him anymore."   
"That's good. At least that problem is solved."  
"Micki, it wasn't your fault. You and Tracy tried to warn them about Stanley. They didn't want to listen, so there isn't anything else you could have done."  
"We could have gone to Dobey, and let him take our findings to the parole board. Brewer would have listened to him. He's our Captain, and he's a man."  
"Dobey wasn't in charge of the investigation. You and Tracy were. You shouldn't have to go through anybody else. Your work speaks for itself. If Brewer can't see that, then he's the one that needs to go."  
Micki looked at her husband. "And how many more people are going to die before Brewer changes? Being able to say 'I told you so' isn't worth anymore innocent lives."  
"I know what you mean, but I think Brewer learned a lesson today. Even if he didn't, he's going to have to answer to the public on this one. He's not going to like making excuses. He'll think twice before he makes the same mistake again."  
"I hope so. It's bad enough that Stanley got out. God knows who he'll let out next."  
Hutch held her close. "I'm sorry that little girl died. Stanley is headed back to the pen, and Brewer gets the fallout. You have to let it go and move on. It won't be the last case you lose, Mick. That's part of the job."  
"I know. I'm sorry. I'll try to get my act together."  
Hutch gave her another squeeze. "Come on, the pizza's getting cold."  
The two couples enjoyed a quiet night, and went back to their normal routines. George Stanley went back to the state prison, awaiting trial for the rape and murder of Alma Thompson. Walter Brewer issued a statement apologizing for the "miscommunication" with the Task Force detectives and promised "all future parole hearings will rely heavily on the extremely competent psychologists of the L.A. County Task Force." Of course, he neglected to name the psychologists to which he was referring. Still, Micki admitted that it was a step in the right direction for the "male chauvinist pig".  
Two days later, Hutch waved good-bye to Starsky and bounded up the steps to his apartment. Micki and Tracy had been in court all day long, and were due home soon. He tossed the mail onto the kitchen table and grabbed a beer from the refrigerator. Stripping off his gun and holster, he undressed and stepped into the shower. He turned with his back to the showerhead, enjoying the feel of hot water against his shoulders. Then, wrapped in a towel, he took a pair of worn sweatpants and a tee shirt from a drawer, and got dressed. After slipping into a comfortable pair of house shoes, he wandered back into the kitchen.  
Hutch sipped the beer and thumbed through the mail. A large brown envelope caught his attention. He opened it, and frowned slightly as he pulled a photograph out. He caught the edge of the table as the floor tilted up toward him, and sat down heavily in the chair. Steel bands gripped his chest, making it hard to breathe.   
Starsky had just made it in the door when the telephone rang.   
"Starsky." There was no sound from the other end, so he tried again. "I said, Sergeant Starsky here. Can I help you?"  
Still, there was nothing. Suddenly, a feeling of dread washed over him. "Hutch? Is that you?"  
The sound of ragged breathing was the only thing he heard, but he knew instantly that it was his partner.  
"Hutch! Damn it, say something! Hutch, answer me! Talk to me!"  
Hutch looked numbly at the receiver. He didn't remember crossing the living room, or dialling the number, but he could hear his partner's voice yelling from far away.  
"Starsky. Help."  
Starsky dropped the phone and ran for the Torino. He slapped the mars light on the roof and raced toward Venice Place. Visions of Vanessa Hutchinson lying dead in his partner's apartment flashed through his mind. No, Micki and Tracy are in court. Nothing has happened to them. Dear God, what's wrong now?  
Starsky turned the siren and mars light off, and pulled up to the curb. He ran up the stairs, taking his gun out of its holster as he ran. With his right hand, he slowly turned the doorknob, and pushed the door open. He looked around the room, and didn't see any signs of a disturbance. Hutch was sitting on the sofa, his head down, holding something in his hand. Starsky put the gun back in its holster and walked up to his partner.  
"Hutch? What's wrong? You scared me half to death!"  
Hutch raised his head slowly, as if in a dream. Starsky shuddered involuntarily as he saw his friend's face. The blonde was in shock, his face pale, and his eyes glazed over. Gently, Starsky took the photograph from him. He sat down as the full implications of the picture hit him.   
Memories of a time long past returned full force. The photograph was of him and Huggy, carrying Hutch between them. The blonde was obviously in pain, with bruises evident on his face. Starsky could almost smell the sweat, and see the haunted look in Hutch's eyes. Ben Forest had kidnapped him and forcibly addicted him to heroin, in an attempt to locate Jeanie Walden, his ex-girlfriend. After getting the information from Hutch, Forest had ordered his execution, but Hutch had managed to escape. Starsky had found him, and hidden him at the bar while he helped Hutch kick the addiction. Now, six years later, Hutch's worst nightmare had come true. Somebody else knew. Starsky gingerly turned the picture over. On the back was one scrawled word. "GOTCHA!!"  
Starsky sat the photograph aside, and turned to his partner. He took him by the shoulders and shook him.   
"Hutch, look at me. Look at me, damn it! Where did it come from?"  
Hutch pointed to the kitchen table with a shaking finger. Starsky used a paper towel to move the envelope around so he could see the front of it. Hutch's address was printed in block letters and there was no return address. The postmark was for the day before, from a local post office. Starsky shook his head, frustrated. The envelope wasn't going to provide many clues. It could have come from anyone. He went back to his partner.  
"Hutch, you have to snap out of it. We have to think."  
Hutch's laugh sounded more like the final gasp of a dying man. "Think? What is there to think about? I'm finished, Starsky. My career, my whole life is gone." He sighed. "I knew it would happen some day, but why now? Damn it, why now??"  
Starsky sat down beside him. "Now you listen to me. Nothing is over! We're going to beat this. Whatever happens, we go through it together."  
"We? Oh, my God, Starsky. I was so caught up in feeling sorry for myself, that I forgot that you could be in trouble, too. I'm sorry, buddy. I never meant for you to go down with me. Dobey could be in trouble, too. Man, I don't want to be responsible for trashing his career."  
"You won't be. I know I've told you this a thousand times before, but I'll tell you again. You weren't to blame. Forest is the one who's responsible. He put that stuff in your veins. He kidnapped you and tortured you. You were the victim, not the criminal."  
"Do you think that's going to matter? I was a junkie! I used a controlled substance, and that's against all rules and regulations. Even if I didn't break the law, I'll probably be kicked off the force."  
"You don't know that, Hutch. You've spent the last six years worrying that someone will find out about what happened. Finally, it's out in the open. No more secrets, Hutch. Whatever happens, you're free. Nobody can hold this over your head any more, not even you."  
Hutch looked away for a moment, then back at his best friend. "I'm scared, Starsk. I don't know what to do."  
"I'll tell you what we're goin' to do. We're going to tell Micki and Tracy what's goin' on, and then we're going to walk into IA and throw that damned picture down on Griffey's table. No more hiding, Hutch. If IA kicks us all off the force, then I don't want to be a part of it, anyway."  
"How am I going to tell Micki? What is she going to think?"  
"She's gonna think the same thing I do: that you've been beating yourself up over this long enough. Don't sell her short, Blintz. She's smart, and she'll face this like she does everything else: head on."  
"I hope you're right, Starsky. God, I hope you're right."  
Starsky phoned the courthouse and talked to a court reporter. He turned back to Hutch.  
"Well, court was adjourned a few minutes ago, so the girls will be home soon."  
Hutch ran his fingers through his hair and rubbed his face. "How am I ever going to explain this to her? What will I do if she leaves me?"  
"She's not going to leave you, buddy. Micki's not like that. She'll understand, you'll see."  
Hutch was still pacing around the room when he heard Micki's Torino come around the corner. He was surprised by his own thoughts. It was funny what he remembered as his world was crashing around him. When he had first seen Micki's car, he had groaned out loud. It was the same as Starsky's, but it was at least painted a respectable metallic blue. When she mentioned painting it white with a wide red stripe down the side, he had laughed in spite of himself. She had joked that they could put their cars hood to hood and give people a headache. It would be their own optical illusion. Hutch took a deep breath and tried to slow his heart rate. Would they ever be able to joke about anything again? He wiped his palms on his pants legs as he heard the girls climbing the stairs.  
Micki walked in and tossed her jacket on the table. She stopped moving when she saw the two men's faces.  
"Something's wrong. What's the matter, Ken? David? What's going on?"  
Starsky motioned for the girls to sit down. "We need to talk, Mick. Something has happened, but I need you to listen to what Hutch and I have to say before you make any judgments. It's not going to be easy to hear, but you have to know what's goin' on."  
"You're scaring me, David. Just tell me what it is."  
Slowly, Starsky told Micki and Tracy about Ben Forest and the heroin addiction Hutch had covered up for years. He told them everything about that horrible time. Hutch added what he could, and was honest about what he had felt. Finally, Starsky showed them the photograph. Micki looked it over carefully, then turned to her partner.  
"Tracy, you're the expert on Internal Affairs. What can they do, exactly?"  
"The way I see it, there are two main points. You were kidnapped, Ken, and forcibly addicted. On the other hand, it was a controlled substance. The current regulations apply to police officers who voluntarily take narcotics. If an officer is addicted, and is caught under the influence while on duty, he can be terminated. But, this doesn't apply to you. You were the victim of a crime, and the addiction was an isolated incident. You've been clean for six years. I agree with David. I think the best way to proceed is to bring it to IA's attention, and get it resolved once and for all. You shouldn't have had to go through that alone. You didn't fail the system. The system failed you."  
Hutch smiled gratefully, then sobered. "But, what if I can't prove it was forced? I mean, everything else is in the report that Starsky wrote. He told about Forest kidnapping me, and going after Jeanie, but he left out the part about the heroin. He did it to protect me, but now it's going to be my word against IA's. Simonetti could argue that I was already using at the time, and the two incidents weren't connected in any way. Monk is dead. The rest of Forest's men are in jail, and I don't think they'd walk across the street to help me. And it's a cinch that Forest won't. How am I going to prove what happened in that house?"  
Micki raised the picture she was holding. "Like the old saying goes, one picture is worth a thousand words. You don't have to be an expert to see that you were hurt. We can use this to our advantage. We've got Starsky's testimony, as well as Dobey's and Huggy's. Dobey has as much to lose as you and Starsky do, and more. He wouldn't risk his own career by lying for you, and his word carries a lot of weight. I don't think Simonetti would be stupid enough to accuse him of perjuring himself at a Review hearing. Everything will work out, Ken. You'll see."  
Tracy reached out and squeezed his hand. "Tomorrow morning, we're going to walk into IA's office and talk to Griffey. If he decides to press charges, we'll ask for a preliminary hearing. You aren't disputing the fact that you were addicted, but there were extenuating circumstances. You'll be allowed to present evidence that you were forcibly addicted when you were kidnapped by Forest. After Lieutenant Griffey hears all the testimony, he can decide if there is enough evidence to support those charges. If that happens, then you'll need a good lawyer for the formal hearing. I honestly don't think it will get that far, Ken, but you need to be prepared for the possibility. It's your call, and your career that's on the line."  
Hutch walked over to his partner. Two pairs of blue eyes met. The blonde spoke softly. "It's not just my career that's on the line. You took care of me, and now you could lose your job because of me. It's sure as Hell not the way I wanted to repay you, buddy. I'd go back and do the whole thing over again, without you, before I'd risk hurting you."  
"Uh-uh, Blintz, no way. It's me and thee, remember?"  
The bond that had been theirs alone seemed to shine even brighter in Hutch's smile. Starsky smiled back and winked, then nodded. Hutch turned back to the girls.  
"It's settled then. We have a date tomorrow with IA. So, where do we start?"  
Starsky grinned. "Well, I think the first thing we should do is get something to eat. You can't fight City Hall on an empty stomach, I always say."  
Hutch laughed out loud. "Leave it to you to think about food first. OK, we'll grab something to eat, and try to work out a plan. Where do you want to go?"  
Micki spoke up. "The most logical place is The Pits. We need to talk to Huggy anyway. He's got a stake in this too, remember? He may not be on the force, but he could still be charged with obstructing justice. The sooner we tell him what's going on, the better."  
Hutch scowled. "Damn, you're right. I hadn't thought about that. So, we go to Huggy's."  
Tracy spoke up. "It might be a good idea to have the Captain meet us there. We need to tell him what's going on, too. We don't want him to be blindsided by this."  
Starsky nodded. "I'll call Dobey and tell him to meet us at The Pits."  
The four detectives drove to The Pits and waited until they were all together. When Starsky told them what was going on, and showed Huggy and Dobey the photograph, Huggy put his dark hand on Hutch's shoulders.  
"I'm sorry, my blonde brother. I know you've been afraid this would happen for a long time, and I can see how much you're hurting."  
"Thanks, Hug. I won't deny that I'm scared, but at least it's all out in the open, now."  
"So, what are you going to do?"  
Hutch shrugged. "We're going to IA and put everything on the table. If Griffey believes what I tell him, I'll still have a job tomorrow. If he doesn't....."  
Micki put her hand over his. "He'll believe it. He has to. It's the truth."  
The blonde detective tried to smile. "I wish I had your faith in the power of the truth. We all know that it doesn't always work out that way."  
"We'll make it work, this time. You'll see."  
Dobey cleared his throat, and spoke for the first time. "We'll do everything we can to help, Hutch. You know that. Starsky and I knew what we were risking when we kept the truth hidden. I've never regretted my decision, and I don't intend to start now."  
"Thanks, Captain. You know, I'm scared of losing my job, but I'm terrified that this will fall back on you and Starsky. I don't know what I will do if that happens."  
Dobey looked steadily at his top detectives. "Well, the best thing to do is make sure it doesn't happen. So, what's the plan?"  
Micki nodded at her partner, indicating that she should answer. Tracy took a deep breath. "Well, as I said, we can ask for a preliminary hearing first. It's not as rigid as the formal hearing, and I think we'll have a better chance of presenting our case."  
Huggy asked the question on everyone's mind. "Who's going to represent the Blonde Blintz?"  
Micki answered slowly. "I think Tracy should. She has a better idea of how Internal Affairs works. Besides," she grinned, "they don't call her the Negotiator for nothing."  
Tracy grinned back ruefully. "Thanks, partner. I'm beginning to regret taking that course on Internal Affairs."  
Dobey surprised everybody by nodding his head. "I think Tracy is a good choice. My first instinct was you, Micki, but Simonetti would jump on that idea with both feet. You and Hutchinson are married now, so he'd scream his head off about you not being objective about the whole thing."  
Starsky frowned slightly. "But, Tracy and me are engaged, too. Besides, she's Micki's partner, and I'm Hutch's. Don't you think Simonetti' will have something to say about that?"  
"Oh, I don't doubt that he will. Griffey is the one that matters, though. Tracy has a reputation for being fair, and like Micki says, she's a good negotiator. And don't forget that, while she may be involved with you now, she wasn't then."  
Huggy asked, "I don't pretend to know about that kind of thing, but doesn't she have to be a lawyer to represent Blondie?"  
Tracy shook her head. "Not in a preliminary hearing. The regulations state that Ken is entitled to counsel of his choice. However, if Griffey demands a formal hearing in front of the board, then Ken will have to be represented by an attorney."  
Micki laid both hands on the table. "So, is it settled? Ken? This concerns you the most, obviously. If you want an attorney, say so. You won't hurt anybody's feelings."  
Hutch thought carefully for a moment, the shook his head. "Truthfully, I don't think an attorney would work any harder on my case. If we have to go to a formal hearing, then I'll call around and find one. Until then, I think I'd rather stick with the home team."   
He put his hands next to his wife's, with their fingers touching. Slowly, four more pairs were added, with each touching the other. Six pairs of hands formed a circle, representing the bond they all shared.  
Lieutenant Griffey's office was crowded the next day as the four detectives, plus Dobey and Simonetti gathered around the Lieutenant's desk. Griffey looked down at the picture he was holding, then sat back in his chair. He gazed at the people standing before him.   
"So, Sergeant Hutchinson, would you like to explain this?"  
"It's a long story, Lieutenant. I'm not denying the fact that I was addicted to heroin for a short time, but it wasn't voluntary, believe me."  
Simonetti interrupted with a scornful laugh. "Of course not! The devil made you do it, right?"  
Griffey silenced his man with a glare. "That's enough, Detective. This is an extremely serious matter. Sergeant Hutchinson, are you aware that if you are found guilty of using narcotics, you can be terminated immediately?"  
"Yes, sir. I would like to request a preliminary hearing to present my case to the board."  
"All right. Do you have counsel?"  
"Yes, sir. I've asked Detective Tracy Edwards to represent me."  
Simonetti protested loudly. "Oh, come on! Detective Edwards is not an attorney, and she's engaged to your partner! You're going to turn this whole thing into a circus! You've got to be nuts to put your career in her hands!"  
Tracy spoke before Hutch could. "Sergeant Hutchinson is allowed to choose anyone that he wants to represent him. There's nothing in the regulations that says it has to be an attorney. This is a preliminary hearing, Simonetti. If a formal review board is convened, Sergeant Hutchinson will retain legal counsel."  
Simonetti started to protest again, but Griffey held up his hand. "Is this what you want, Sergeant Hutchinson?"  
"Yes, sir."  
"Very well. We'll schedule a preliminary hearing for one week from today. You'll present your case to three members of the board, including myself. If we decide that enough evidence exists to support the charges, we'll set a date for the formal hearing then. Dismissed. Oh, not you, Alex. I want a word with you in private."  
The four detectives and Dobey left Griffey's office, closing the door behind them. Hutch turned to the others.  
"I didn't realize he'd set it so soon. A week doesn't give us much time."  
"It'll be enough. We don't have a lot of witnesses to track down."  
"True. You know, I just thought of something. Who the Hell took that picture in the first place? It had to be somebody at Huggy's, but who?"  
Micki grinned. "That's what you and Davey are going to find out. Tracy and I will work on your defence, and you two can find out who took that picture. I'll lay you odds that Simonetti had something to do with it."  
Dobey shot her a questioning look. "What makes you so sure?"  
"Look at the timing, Captain. We're talking about an isolated incident that happened over six years ago. Only a few people knew about it, and no one has talked. Now, suddenly, this picture surfaces. Simonetti has carried a grudge against David and Ken for a long time. That's not exactly a secret, either. So, I'd be willing to bet that one of Simonetti's snitches got himself into a jam, and just happened to be holding this picture. He decided he needed a get out of jail card, and this is it. You can bet that if Simonetti knew the picture existed before now, he wouldn't have waited all this time to drop the bomb on Ken."  
"Well, that makes sense. OK, you two start asking around, but be discreet. If Simonetti was behind the picture somehow, he's not going to want Griffey to find out about it. And if one of his snitch's did take that picture, we don't want him to clam up now."  
Hutch agreed. "Right, Captain. Micki, we'll meet you and Tracy back at our apartment at say, five o'clock. If we happen to come up with anything before that, we'll let you know."  
Micki nodded. "We need to pick up a few things, then we'll head over there. If we have to go anywhere else, we'll let the Captain know."  
"Sounds like a plan to me. Captain, we'll stay in touch."  
"Make sure you do. And, be careful. This is all getting a little too weird for my taste. I don't like it, not one little bit."  
Dobey walked back to his office, leaving the two couples alone. Hutch kissed his wife and held her for a moment. Starsky kissed Tracy good-bye, then he and Hutch went back toward the IA offices. Micki watched them briefly, then sighed.   
"Come on, Trace. We need to gather up a few files and get started on this. We don't have any time to waste."  
Back in Griffey's office, the Lieutenant was having a serious talk with his detective. "Well, you've really done it this time, Alex."  
"Me? What are you talking about, Lieutenant? I didn't do anything wrong. Hutchinson did that all by himself."  
"He says that it wasn't his fault."  
"Of course he's going to say that! Hutchinson got himself hooked, Lieutenant. Starsky found out about it, and got him off the stuff. He and Dobey kept it under wraps until now, and that's against regulations. Ben Forest is a known drug dealer, and he's doing twenty to life in the pen. He's a perfect scapegoat for them. If they blame him, and he denies it, who's going to believe him? If Forest really is to blame, why didn't Starsky take his partner to the hospital, instead of hiding him away somewhere?"  
"You'd better be right, Alex. Accusing Hutchinson of using narcotics is serious business. If he's convicted, he could lose his badge and face criminal charges as well. If there's the slightest chance that he's telling the truth, I want to know about it."  
"He's lying, Lieutenant. I'd stake my reputation on it."  
Lieutenant Griffey sat back in his chair and looked Simonetti in the eye. "That's good, because that's exactly what you're doing. If I find out that Hutchinson is telling the truth, your career will be on the line. I'm not kidding, Alex. This grudge match has gone on long enough. This one's for all the marbles. It's Hutchinson's badge, or yours. Don't screw this up."  
Starsky and Hutch were coming around the corner at the same time Simonetti was leaving Griffey's office. Instinct told Starsky to step back, and push Hutch back with him. He craned his neck and watched as Simonetti walked in the opposite direction.   
"He's gone. I don't know where he's goin', but I hope it's out of the building. I don't want to run into him while we're grillin' his buddies."  
Hutch nodded. "Yeah, and it would be better if Dryden were gone, too. I don't think he'd be too willing to help us."  
Starsky took a deep breath. "Well, standin' out here in the hall ain't getting us anywhere. You ready?"  
"Yep. Lead on, MacDuff." As Starsky walked toward the IA office, Hutch muttered under his breath. "Once more, unto the breach, dear friends, once more."  
The small office was empty except for one detective. Roger Moss was the newest addition to the department and had only met Starsky and Hutch briefly. Starsky was happy to see the young detective. Good. If we're lucky, he won't even remember our names. He said a small prayer that Simonetti would stay away until they were finished.   
"Hi'ya, Detective. We're lookin' for Detectives Simonetti, or Dryden. Would you happen to know where they went?"  
Moss shook his head. "I think Detective Dryden is over at the county courthouse. I don't think he's going to be back until tomorrow. And you just missed Detective Simonetti. He didn't say where he was going, but he said he'd be back in a couple of hours. Is there anything I can help you with?"  
Starsky acted like he was thinking carefully, then said, "I'm not sure. One of his informants was arrested a couple of days ago, and we think he's connected to one of the cases we're working on. Only, he won't talk to us, because he said he already talked to Detective Simonetti. We just wanted to check with him before we talk to the snitch again. I don't suppose you would know anything about that, would you?"  
"Well, I know that Simonetti went down to the county lock-up to talk to somebody, but I don't know the perp's name. The jailor might know."  
Starsky gave Moss a smile. "Then I guess we need to talk to Smitty. Thanks, Detective. You've been a big help."  
Hutch nodded to Moss, then walked out behind Starsky. He turned to his partner.   
"Well, it looks like Micki was right. Whoever this snitch is, he was at Huggy's that night. I'm still not sure talking to Moss was the right thing to do. Do you think he'll tell Simonetti we were looking for him?"  
"Maybe, maybe not. It doesn't really matter. If Simonetti finds out we're hunting for this snitch, maybe he'll get nervous and slip up. Remember what the Captain said. Simonetti doesn't want Griffey to find out that he was behind that picture. I get the feelin' that Simonetti's already on shaky ground with the Lieutenant. He's not going to want to make it any worse."  
"You've got a point there. OK, let's go see Smitty. I want to talk to this snitch before Simonetti finds out we're on to him."  
"Good idea, Ollie. Let's go."  
They drove to the county jail and found Calvin Smith. Smitty had been the jailor for over twenty years, and made it his business to know everything that was going on in his jail. If Simonetti had been there, Smitty would know when, and to whom he was talking. Starsky and Hutch found the jailor at his usual spot: sitting at his desk in front of the cellblock. Although Smitty didn't look imposing, any inmate that made the mistake of causing trouble soon realized they had underestimated the ex-Marine. Despite his grey hair and medium build, Smitty was capable of subduing the most violent convict.  
He smiled widely and got up from his chair as the two detectives walked up to the door.   
"Well, look what the cat dragged in! How ya doing, Starsky? You keeping him out of trouble, Hutch?"  
The two men exchanged glances, then Hutch smiled ruefully. "I think he's the one that's keeping me out of trouble this time, Smitty."  
"Uh oh, that doesn't sound good. What's going on, boys? Is there anything I can do to help?"  
Starsky sat on the edge of the desk. "We're hopin' you can. Simonetti is on our tails again, and this time he's trying to cause some real bad trouble. So, I'm sure you can guess that we don't want him to know we've been talkin' to ya."  
"Say no more, Starsk. I ain't got much use for that one. Dryden is a pretty stand up guy. He don't go after nobody that doesn't need goin' after. Simonetti is a horse of a different colour. I don't trust him and I ain't about to help him railroad anybody. So, what can I do for you?"  
"We're looking for one of Simonetti's snitches. Simonetti would have been down here a few days ago to talk to him. We need to know who that snitch is, and we need to talk to him before Simonetti finds out we know who the snitch is."  
"Yeah, he was down here. He was talking to Louie Holmes. I don't know what it was about, but that creep is as slimy as it gets."  
"Well, I guess we need to talk to Louie, then. Can you find us a room?"  
"Sure, give me about ten minutes, then go to Conference room number three."  
Ten minutes later, they stood outside the conference room door. Starsky peeked through the small window, then stepped aside so Hutch could look.  
"So, do you recognize him?"  
Hutch shook his head. "Starsky, I could barely recognize you that day. Do you recognize him?"  
Starsky shook his head, also. "No, but if he was only a face in the crowd, there's no reason why I should. Well, we ain't doing any good out here. Let's go see what Louie has to say."  
Starsky walked into the small room, with Hutch following close behind him. As soon as he saw Louie Holmes close up, he remembered that they had met before, after all. He swaggered up to the table.  
"Well, well, if it isn't Louie the Toke. Still smokin' that funny tobacco, Louie?"  
Louie peered through his mousy brown bangs and curled his lip at Starsky. "What the Hell are you doing here? I ain't got nothin' to say to either one of you. Does the Boss know you're talking to me?"  
Hutch sauntered over and calmly sat down across from Louie. "Boss? Oh, you mean Simonetti. Well, to be honest, he doesn't. But don't worry your crummy little head about it. He's not going to be mad at you for talking to us. I mean, you did him a favor, didn't you? I'll bet he thought he'd died and gone to Heaven when you showed him that picture."  
Louie sneered. "You think I carried that thing around with me? I ain't that crazy about your face, Hutchinson." Then he noticed the look on the two detective's faces. His jaw clenched with anger. "Cute. Real cute. So what if I was the one that gave him the picture? There ain't no law against taking pictures in a public place."  
Starsky sat down beside his partner. "So, you're a famous photographer and you've been undercover this whole time. What were you doing? Seeing how the other half lives?"  
Hutch chortled. "Good one, Starsk." When he looked at the snitch, his eyes turned to steel. "Answer him, punk. How is it that you just HAPPENED to have a camera that night?"  
"I was doing a favour for my brother, if it's any of your business. He thought his old lady was running around on him, but didn't have enough dough for a private detective. So, he asked me if I would tail her for a couple of days, just to see if he was right. And he was. The little slut was in The Pits that night, with some John. She was so busy cozying up to him that she didn't even see me. When I saw Starsky and Huggy Bear carrying you in, I knew something was up, but I didn't know what it was. Then, when you guys sent me up the river, I ended up in a cell with Chuck Coney. He told me what happened to you. I figured that you were strung out, and Starsky helped you kick the stuff. By the time I got out of the joint, it was old news, so I held on to the picture. When I got busted the other day, I knew I was headed back to the slam for a long time. So, I called the Boss and told him what I had. He ain't exactly your number one fan, so I thought he might cut me a deal for the picture."  
Hutch barely kept his voice even. "So, what did you tell him, Louie? Did you just make something up to go with the picture? I'll bet you came up with quite a story."  
"I told him what Coney told me! I said Forest strung you out to find that broad, and you got away before they iced you. I didn't have to make anything up, Hutchinson. You were a junkie and even I know that junkie's ain't allowed on the force."  
Hutch growled in response and lunged toward the felon. Before he could grab him, Starsky laid a hand on his arm. The two men shared a long look, then Hutch settled back in his chair. Starsky waited a few seconds, then took over the questioning.  
"Now, let me get this straight. Coney told you everything that happened when Hutch was kidnapped. You knew that none of this was Hutch's fault. What did Simonetti say when you told him?"  
"He said he didn't give a damn how it happened, that he was just glad that it did. He was laughing his ass off, and said that he finally was going to get rid of you two."  
Starsky nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I guess that's it. Oh, one more thing. What kind of deal did he cut you, Louie?"  
"I don't know yet. He's at the DA's office right now. I ain't worried, though. That picture sure came through for me. In fact, I just might be walkin' out of here in a little while."  
Hutch slowly got up from his chair and gathered Starsky with his eyes. He knocked on the door and waited for Smitty to open it. Before he walked out, Hutch turned back to Louie.  
"Don't bet on it."   
When they were outside, Hutch cursed out loud and kicked the door.   
"Damn it! He knew, Starsky! Simonetti knew the whole story the minute he talked to Louie and he went running to Griffey anyway! He doesn't give a damn about the truth. All he wants is my hide! Why the Hell couldn't he stay out of my life?"  
He threw his hands up and strode down the hallway, covering the distance in long, angry strides.   
Starsky said a hasty thank-you to Smitty, then hurried to catch up with his partner. Hutch was in the car before Starsky could exit the building. They rode back to the station in silence.   
Finally, Starsky turned to his friend. "You OK?"  
"No." He pounded his fist on the dashboard. "I don't believe this! I've had nightmares about this shit for years and some punk with a camera finally blows the whistle on me! What the Hell is that? Karma?"  
"It's called being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Or, if you're Louie, the right place. It ain't some kind of punishment, Hutch. You didn't do anything wrong. When are you goin' to accept that?"  
The blonde detective looked out the window at the passing cars. "I wanted it, Starsk. When Forest took it away, I was willing to do anything to get it. God, look how I treated you! I fought you, and called you every name in the book. If you had turned your back just once, I would have ran out the door and headed straight for the nearest dealer."  
Starsky turned into a parking lot and stopped the Torino. He put the car in Park and turned off the ignition.  
"Look at me, Hutch." When Hutch finally turned his head, Starsky continued. "That was the junk talkin', not you. Answer a question for me. If a woman is kidnapped and raped by someone that her boyfriend knows, is it her fault that she was raped?"  
Hutch shook his head. "Of course not."  
"Then why is it your fault that you got hooked? Forest did that to you. You aren't to blame. You don't have a damn thing to feel guilty about!"  
"I told him where Jeanie was, for Christ's sake! I promised I would take care of her, and I told him exactly where she was!"  
"Jeanie wasn't a saint, buddy. I know you cared about her, but she wasn't some innocent kid that Forest conned. She knew he was after her, and she knew you'd do anything to keep her safe. She wouldn't let you tell me where she was. If she had been straight with us, we could have kept her safe. Hell, we would have gone after Forest. She tied your hands, partner. She tied both our hands."  
"She didn't want me to go after Forest. I wasn't her bodyguard, Starsk. I was her lover."  
Starsky nodded emphatically. "That's right! You weren't on duty, Hutch. You were protectin' somebody that you loved. If Dobey had assigned us to her case, we would have had a lot more information to work with, and Jeanie would have gone to a safe house. You've spent so much time beatin' yourself up that you forgot Jeanie's part in all of this. You have to let it go now. There ain't no secrets any more. Put it back in the past, where it belongs, and move on. Forest ain't worth it, and neither is Jeanie."  
"I'm scared, Starsk. Two years ago, I wouldn't have cared if I lost my badge, or anything else. Now, I'm happier than I've ever been. I don't want to lose everything because of that son-of-a-bitch."  
"You won't."  
Hutch managed a smile. "And what makes you so sure?"  
"Because you got Tracy, Micki, and me in your corner. How can you lose?"  
Hutch laughed, then sobered again. "I hope so, Starsky. God, I hope so."  
Starsky started the Torino and pulled out of the parking lot. When he turned left, instead of right, Hutch frowned.  
"Hey, where are you going? The station is the other way."  
Starsky nodded slightly. "I know, but I just thought of somethin'. We want to talk to the girls, right? Well, do we really want to do that with Simonetti lurking around somewhere?"  
Hutch made a face. "No, we don't. I hadn't thought of that. Well, they should be back at the apartment by now, anyway. At least we won't have to worry about him there."  
Starsky parked the Torino behind Micki's, then followed his partner up the stairs. As Hutch opened the door, he could smell something good coming from the kitchen.   
"Hey," he said happily, "you cooked dinner! That's great, cause I'm starving."  
Micki snorted derisively. "We haven't had time to cook. Dinner is being provided courtesy of the Holman Restaurant. We stopped by there on our way home. If you two want to wash up, we'll eat before we get down to work."  
Starsky rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "You don't have to tell me twice." He made a beeline for the bathroom before Hutch could take off his jacket.   
The blonde shook his head fondly. "That's my partner. The world could be coming to an end and he'd still have an appetite."  
They enjoyed a quiet dinner, carefully avoiding the upcoming hearing. They all settled down in the living room, then Starsky told Micki and Tracy about their interview with Louie Holmes.  
He grabbed another beer for himself and Hutch, then asked the question foremost in his mind.  
"So, should we go to Griffey and tell him what we found out?"  
Tracy shook her head. "No. So far, all you have is Louie's word against Simonetti's. Louie is a two-time loser, and Simonetti is a detective. Whether we like it or not, he's got a good reputation. He started out in Homicide, and had an excellent arrest record before he transferred to IA. Considering all the trouble he's gone to this far, he won't hesitate to call Louie a liar. I think we need to keep this to ourselves until we can find another way to corroborate what Louie told you."  
Micki shook her head in amazement. "I can't believe Simonetti would sink this far. I don't like it, not one little bit."  
Tracy could see the wheels turning in her partner's head. "What's wrong, Mick?"  
"Think about it, Trace. Simonetti lied to Lieutenant Griffey. He's trying to convince him that Ken got himself addicted, and Forest had nothing to do with it. He knows that's a lie, and he knows that when the truth comes out, he could lose his badge. Does that sound like the act of a rational man?"  
"No, it doesn't."  
"I think Simonetti is close to the edge of a cliff, and if we're not careful, we could push him over it. God only knows what he will do when we prove that Forest is responsible for Hutch's addiction."  
Hutch flinched slightly at the word "addiction". "I'm still not sure that we can prove it, Mick."  
Tracy smiled at him. "Oh, we'll prove it, all right. We've already got a few ideas, and now you've given us Louie's testimony, too. We may not be able to use him at the hearing, but he gave us a place to start. Don't worry, Ken. We've got one thing on our side that Simonetti doesn't have."  
"What's that?"  
"The truth."  
After noticing the time, Starsky and Tracy said goodnight and went back to their apartment. Micki sensed that Hutch needed some time alone, so she excused herself and took a shower. When she came out a short time later, Hutch was standing on the balcony, looking out over the city. She walked up behind him and put her arms around his waist.  
"It's going to be OK. We'll find a way to resolve this, once and for all. You'll see."  
"I feel like I've been walking around with a time bomb strapped to my back, and it's about to go off. I don't want to take all of you out with me when it blows."  
"You won't, I promise. We're going to defuse that bomb, Ken. No one will be able to threaten you with this ever again."  
Hutch turned around to face his wife. "I'm sorry, Mick. I tried so many times to tell you, but the words just wouldn't come out."  
She smiled wryly. "I won't deny that I was a little disappointed. I wish you had felt comfortable enough with our relationship to tell me. But, I'm not naive, Ken. We really haven't known each other all that long. I can only imagine what you went through and I know how hard you worked to keep this a secret. If this hadn't happened, I'd like to think that someday you would have told me yourself."  
"I would have. So, do you forgive me?"  
She kissed him gently. "I forgive you. Now, when are you going to forgive yourself?"  
Hutch chuckled and sat down on the bench. "That's what I get for marrying a psychologist. OK, detective, analyze me."  
She grinned wickedly. "It's just that famous Hutchinson guilt working overtime. You are the only man I know that could actually blame himself for being kidnapped. You didn't do anything wrong, Ken."  
She sat down beside him and took his hands in hers. "Forrest's men took you from your home, blindfolded you, and beat you. See these hands? They were tied, literally. You couldn't get away, and you couldn't fight. Ben Forrest is evil incarnate. He took your own body and turned it against you. You never had a chance. The person who committed the crime is in prison now. It's time for you to break out of the prison that you created for yourself."  
"I'll try, I promise. If Tracy manages to charm the IA board, maybe I can finally put this behind me."  
Micki put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "I love you, Ken. I love all of you, the person you are. One isolated incident isn't going to change that. From now on, no secrets. Whatever happens, we face it together. You, me, Tracy, and David."  
He held her close. "I think I can manage that."


	3. Chapter 3

In the days before the hearing, Starsky and Hutch tried to keep to their routine while helping Micki and Tracy prepared for Hutch's defence. Before they knew it, the day had arrived. After taking a collective deep breath, the four detectives walked into the large room that was set up for the hearing. Micki, Tracy, and Hutch sat down at the table closest to the window, and Starsky sat behind them in the first row of seats. Shortly after that, the three board members, Lieutenant Griffey, Commander Phillip Horn, and Lieutenant James Choate, walked in and sat down at the table. Simonetti and Dryden followed a few minutes later, and sat down at the table opposite the three detectives. Starsky frowned and leaned forward to talk to Tracy.  
"Simonetti's prosecuting? That's not good."  
Tracy turned slightly. "It's not called prosecuting, David. This isn't a formal hearing. He's just presenting evidence."  
Starsky rolled his eyes. "Sure. And you can say that a mule is just a horse with long ears, but it's still a Jackass."  
Micki snickered. "Yeah, and Simonetti's the biggest Jackass of all."  
Hutch fought to keep a straight face. "OK, you two, behave."  
Since this was a closed hearing, there were no spectators. Commander Horn cleared his throat to get everyone's attention, then spoke.  
"This is an informal hearing to hear evidence on the charges that Detective Sergeant Kenneth Hutchinson did wilfully use an illegal narcotic while on duty, and subsequently hid that abuse from this department. Sergeant Hutchinson, will you please stand?"  
Hutch slowly stood and faced the three board members. Tracy stood beside him.  
"Sergeant, I understand that Lieutenant Griffey has explained the procedure that we will follow in this hearing. Is that correct?"  
"Yes, sir."  
"Very good. Then, with counsel's permission, I will forgo any long explanations, and we'll proceed with the hearing. Are there any objections?"  
Tracy and Simonetti responded. "No, objections, Commander."  
"You may all be seated. Detective Simonetti, you may begin."  
"Thank-you. I call Officer Bernard Glassman to the stand."  
He waited until Bernie was seated, then walked up beside him. "Officer Glassman, how long have you been a patrolman?"  
"Almost twenty years."  
"And have you patrolled the same beat during that time?"  
"Yes, sir."  
"I'd like to take you back to late 1975. Do you remember a Missing Officer bulletin on Detective Ken Hutchinson?"  
"Yes, sir."  
"Did you subsequently see Detective Hutchinson after the Missing Officer was filed?"  
"Yes, sir."  
"Would you tell the board what you observed that day?"  
"My partner and I were patrolling our sector when I saw a man stumbling down the sidewalk. He appeared to be sick or injured, and ran into the alley. When he turned, I saw that it was Detective Hutchinson, so I told my partner to call it in, and I got out of the car. I followed Detective Hutchinson down the alley, and saw that he had collapsed. I was almost to where he was laying when his partner, Detective Starsky, drove into the alley and stopped. We reached Detective Hutchinson at the same time, and Detective Starsky started to examine him."  
"Would you describe Detective Hutchinson's condition to us?"  
"He was sweating profusely, and I could tell that he was in some type of distress. His clothes were dirty, and torn, and he had several bruises on his face. He didn't seem to be aware of his surroundings, and wasn't responsive. Detective Starsky looked him over for a minute, then pushed his sleeve up on his arm. There were needle marks on the inside of his elbow."  
"Are you familiar with drug addicts and the paraphernalia they use?"  
"Yes, sir."  
"In your opinion, was Detective Hutchinson using intravenous drugs?"  
"Yes, sir. I admit I wasn't very professional, but I blurted out that Detective Hutchinson was a junkie. I'm sorry, but that's the way it looked to me."  
"And how did Detective Starsky respond to that?"  
"Well, I told him that I would have to make a report, and he stopped me. He said "No report, Bernie. Do you hear me, no report. I'll handle this." Then I asked him about Captain Dobey, and he said he'd clear it with him. So, I helped him take Detective Hutchinson to his car, and they drove away."  
"So, Detective Starsky said he'd take responsibility, and would also notify Captain Dobey. Have you had any contact with them since the incident?"  
"No, sir. I never heard any more about it, and no one ever contacted me, until the other day."  
"Thank-you. That will be all." Simonetti turned to Tracy. "Detective."  
Tracy walked up to the stand. "Officer Glassman, did you ever see Detective Hutchinson using narcotics?"  
"No, ma'am, but I don't see most of the addicts on my beat using them, either."  
"So, while your experience supports your assumption that Detective Hutchinson was a 'junkie', you don't have any idea what the circumstances were surrounding the incident. Is that correct?"  
"I guess so."  
"In other words, you have only that short time in the alley on which to base your conclusion. Correct?"  
"Yes, ma'am."  
"You've stated that you had no further contact with Detective Hutchinson, or Detective Starsky after that day. Since Detective Starsky withheld those details in his report, how did Detective Simonetti know to contact you?"  
"When the written notice came down about this hearing, I contacted Detective Simonetti myself. I didn't want to get into trouble for withholding evidence. I didn't mean Detective Hutchinson any harm. Whatever happened, he's a good cop, and I don't like having to testify against him. But, it's my duty. I'm a cop, too."  
"I understand. No further questions."  
Commander Horn nodded at Bernie. "You may step down, Officer."  
Bernie mumbled a fast thank-you and practically ran from the room. Simonetti waited until Tracy was back at the table, then stood.   
"I call Captain Harold Dobey to the stand."  
Micki glanced at her partner, and Tracy simply shrugged. They knew that Simonetti blamed Dobey for "letting Starsky and Hutch run wild", so this wasn't a surprise. Micki squeezed Hutch's knee gently under the table, and sat back in her chair. All they could do was watch and hope that Tracy could work her magic and save all three careers.  
"Captain, we all know who you are, so I'll dispense with the introductions, and get right to the point. Detective's Starsky and Hutchinson have been under your command for quite some time, right?"  
"Yes."  
"How would you characterize their methods?"  
"I'm not sure I understand the question."  
"It's very simple, Captain. Would you say that they always followed standard operating procedures, and obeyed all regulations?"  
Dobey cleared his throat. "Well, no, I wouldn't say that. They've been known to be a little unconventional in their investigations."  
"Unconventional? That's an interesting way to put it. OK, we'll take some examples from some of their more flamboyant cases."  
Tracy stood. "Commander, I fail to see how this line of questioning is relevant to this case."  
Simonetti glared at the young woman. He turned to the review board. "Commander, Detective Hutchinson is accused of using illegal drugs while on duty. He was aided and abetted by his partner, and Captain Dobey. I intend to show that Detective Hutchinson isn't as pure as he pretends to be. His entire career has been marred with questionable tactics, and he has been known to blatantly disobey a direct order from his Captain. I also intend to show that the use of narcotics is well within the realm of possibility for this detective, contrary to what his partner might say. If he had conducted himself in a manner that was expected of a police officer, he wouldn't have gotten himself into this situation in the first place."  
Tracy protested forcefully. "Commander, Detective Simonetti is allowing his personal feelings to influence this hearing. That last statement was extremely inflammatory."  
"She's right, Detective Simonetti. This isn't a forum for your personal grievances. If you have evidence to offer that is relevant to this case, get to it. Otherwise, call your next witness."  
Simonetti glared back at Tracy, then wiped the expression from his face. "Yes, sir. Captain Dobey, do you remember a woman by the name of Gillian Ingram?"  
Dobey shot an involuntary look at Hutch. His voice was muted as he answered. "Yes, I do."  
Simonetti's jaw muscles clenched, then he spoke with infinite patience. "Will you please tell the board who she was?"  
"She was someone that Detective Hutchinson was involved with for a short time."  
"What happened to her?"  
"She was murdered."  
"And did you find the person responsible for her death?"  
"Yes, it was Albert Grossman."  
"Wasn't Al Grossman a known criminal that attempted to open a pornographic establishment in this city?"  
"Yes, he was."  
"And didn't Gillian Ingram work for him?"  
"Yes, she did."  
"In fact, Gillian Ingram was a prostitute, wasn't she?"  
"Yes, she was."  
"Wasn't she murdered because of her relationship with Detective Hutchinson?"  
Dobey responded angrily. "She was killed because she was trying to break free from Grossman's clutches. He found out that she was in love with Hutch, and he killed her, because he was afraid she would jeopardize his illegal operations."  
"Ms. Ingram wasn't the only woman with a dubious past that Detective Hutchinson was involved with, was she? Tell me, who was Vanessa Hutchinson?"  
"She was Hutch's ex-wife. She was murdered in his apartment."  
"With his gun, correct?"  
"Yes, but he was exonerated, as you will remember."  
"Oh, I remember all to well. I also remember that Vanessa Hutchinson was murdered because she tried to double cross Martin Wheeler, a known fence that dealt with stolen diamonds. Is that correct?"  
"Yes, and Detective's Starsky and Hutchinson were responsible for bringing the man to justice."  
"But, that was after Starsky disobeyed a direct order from you to bring his partner in, and they took it upon themselves to pursue the suspect on their own. Correct?"  
"Yes."  
"So, isn't it safe to say that Detective Hutchinson wilfully disobeyed direct orders, and repeatedly became entangled with women that had, shall we say, questionable reputations? Hasn't this been a pattern throughout his whole career?"  
"Detective Hutchinson has never been convicted of any wrong doing. I have to admit that he hasn't had much luck with the women in his life, until now."  
"Until now. Oh, yes, you're talking about the present Mrs. Hutchinson, Detective Micki Ellis Hutchinson, correct?"  
"Yes."  
"OK, let's talk about their relationship. How long have they known each other?"  
"For almost a year."  
"And when did they become engaged?"  
"A few months ago. I don't remember the exact date."  
"In fact, didn't Detective Starsky and Detective Edwards announce their engagement at the same time?"  
"Yes."  
"And wasn't a date set for a double wedding?"  
"Yes."  
"Isn't that wedding still several weeks away?"  
"Yes."  
"So, how is it that Detective Hutchinson and Detective Ellis are married now?"  
"They decided to elope."  
"Isn't it true that both Detective Hutchinson and Detective Ellis were drunk when they decided to elope, and they flew down to Las Vegas, with Detective's Starsky and Edwards in tow? And isn't it true that they made a public spectacle of themselves while in Las Vegas? Remember Captain, I was there."  
"They had both been involved with very stressful cases. Yes, they had a few drinks, and decided to elope. It may have been a lapse in judgement, but they didn't commit a crime, Detective."  
"Really? Permit me to quote from the Policeman's Code of Ethics. "I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all. I will be honest in thought and deed in both my personal and official life, I will be exemplary in obeying the laws of the land and the regulations of my department." Tell me, Captain, does Detective Hutchinson's career echo that code of ethics?"  
"Detective Hutchinson is a good cop. He's one of my best detectives."  
"Answer my question, Captain. Does Detective Hutchinson's career echo the Policeman's Code of Ethics?"  
"No."  
"Thank you. Your witness, Detective."  
Tracy gathered her thoughts, then stood. "Captain, would you consider Detective Hutchinson to be an alcoholic?"  
"Of course not."  
"Have you ever known him to be abusive to women?"  
"No."  
"In your opinion, is there anything in Detective Hutchinson's actions, past or present, that would support the accusation that he was addicted to Heroin, of his own free will?"   
"Definitely not. Detective Hutchinson was a victim. He was kidnapped by Ben Forest, beaten and tortured. He went through the terrible ordeal of withdrawal, and has been drug-free ever since."  
"Thank you, Captain. I have no more questions."  
Dobey looked scathingly at Simonetti, then stalked from the room. Simonetti had a self-satisfied smirk on his face as the door slammed shut. He stood and faced the board.   
"I call Detective Sergeant David Starsky to the stand."  
All four detectives were startled. Micki leaned toward Tracy and protested. "He can't call David, can he? Isn't he supposed to notify witnesses and interview them before the hearing?"  
Starsky and Hutch listened to Tracy's answer with trepidation. "Not if it will interfere with the investigation. Simonetti's smart. He knows David won't help him willingly, but he won't lie in front of the board, either. Simonetti can ask him any question he wants that's relevant to the case, and David has to tell the truth. There's no Fifth amendment protection here."  
Starsky's jaw clenched. "So, I don't have a choice."  
Tracy touched his arm briefly. "No. I'm sorry, David. If you refuse to testify, you could be suspended, and charges brought against you."  
"Well, I guess that settles it. OK. Here goes nothing."  
Starsky looked into his partner's eyes, then stood up. Before he could move away, Tracy clutched at his sleeve. He leaned toward her as she spoke.  
"And keep your temper! You won't do Ken any good if you lose it."  
He nodded again, and walked to the stand. He looked calmly at Simonetti, waiting for the ordeal to begin.  
"Detective Starsky, how long have you been with this department?"  
"About 12 years."  
"And would you say you had some experience with the drug trade, and users in this area?"  
"I guess so."  
"So, when you saw your partner in that alley, back in 1975, did you come to the same conclusion that Officer Glassman did?"  
"I saw the marks on his arms."  
"That's not what I asked you, Detective. When you saw those marks, did you come to the same conclusion that Officer Glassman did? Did you realize that your partner had been using intravenous drugs?"  
Starsky counted to ten slowly. "Yes."  
"And you decided to omit that information in your report, correct?"  
"Yes."  
"Where did you take him that day?"  
"I took him to a bar called The Pits. It's owned by a friend of ours."  
"A friend? Isn't the owner of The Pits a man that goes by the name of Huggy Bear? Isn't he an informant of yours?"  
"He's a friend. He's helped us out on a few cases."  
"Fine. So, you took Detective Hutchinson to this bar, and you helped him kick the habit. Did Captain Dobey know where you were, and what you were doing?"  
"He knew."  
"That's all the questions I have at this time, Commander."  
Commander Horn nodded to Tracy. "Your witness, Detective."  
Tracy walked to the stand. "Detective Starsky, you've been Detective Hutchinson's partner for a long time, haven't you?"  
"Yes."  
"Have you ever known him to use any illegal drugs during that time?"  
"No."  
"Could you tell me what preceded the events that took place in 1975?"  
"Hutch and I had finished up a case, and he was getting ready to take some time off. He had met this girl, Jeanie Walton, and they were going to spend some time together. When he didn't come back to work, I started getting worried. Hutch isn't the type to just goof off and not call in. I went to his canal house, and searched it. I didn't find any signs of a struggle, but I did find his weapon. If Hutch was plannin' to go out for the evening, he might have left the gun at home. But, not if he was planning to be away for several days. There's too many ex-cons that carry a grudge against us for him to go that long without his weapon."  
"So, you requested that a Missing Officer bulletin be issued, correct?"  
"Yeah. He was missing for about four days before Bernie spotted him in that alley."  
"Other than the marks on his arms, what was Detective Hutchinson's condition?"  
"You could tell that he had been beaten. He had a black eye, and bruises on his face. He was pale, and in a lot of pain."  
Tracy went over to the table, and took a stack of photographs from a folder. She handed them to Starsky. "Detective, do you recognize the top photograph?"  
"Yeah. It's the picture Hutch got in the mail the other day."  
"Would you describe the photo, please?"  
"It was taken that night at The Pits. Me and Huggy are carrying Hutch. You can see how out of it he is. We took him up the back stairs and into a spare room over the bar."  
"OK. Now, would you take a look at the second picture, and tell me what you see?"  
Starsky looked at the next picture closely. "It's a close up of Hutch. I can see his hands around my shoulders, and Huggy's."  
"Would you look closely at his wrists? What do you see?"  
"It looks like there are some marks around them. I can't tell for sure."  
"Would you look at the final picture? Can you see his wrists, now?"  
"Yeah, there are red marks around both of his wrists."  
"In your experience as a police officer, have you ever seen marks like those before?"  
"Yeah, in kidnap victims. They're rope burns."  
Tracy nodded and took the photos from Starsky. She walked over to the board members and gave the photos to Commander Horn. He looked them over, then passed them to the other officers.  
Tracy gave them a few minutes to look at the pictures, then resumed her questions. "So, again as an experienced detective, what were your conclusions about the incident that occurred in 1975?"  
"Hutch was kidnapped because of his relationship with Jeanie Walton. We found out that she was Ben Forest's ex-girlfriend, and he was looking for her. Forest kidnapped Hutch and tried to beat the information he wanted out of him, but it didn't work. That's when he decided to get Hutch addicted to heroin. Forest is a known drug dealer, so he had an unlimited supply of the stuff. After a couple of days, Forest took the heroin away, and Hutch went into withdrawal. Finally, after Hutch told him where Jeanie was, Forest told his men to get rid of Hutch. Instead, he managed to escape. That's when Bernie found him in the alley."  
"At any time, Detective, did it cross your mind that Detective Hutchinson's addiction to Heroin was voluntary, and not related to Ben Forest at all?"  
"Never. If he was using drugs, I would have known it. We're partners, but we're also friends. He would have trusted me enough to tell me, and he would have known that I would help him."  
"Thank-you, Detective. That will be all."  
Starsky stepped down and walked back to his chair. As he was sitting down, he happened to look at Lieutenant Griffey. The Lieutenant's face was filled with anger, and he was glaring at Simonetti.   
Commander Horn motioned to Simonetti. "Detective, you may call your next witness."  
Simonetti cleared his throat, then stood up. "That concludes our case, Commander. We have no further witnesses to call."  
"Very well. Detective Edwards, you may call your first witness."  
"I call Charles Coney to the stand."  
Now, it was Simonetti's turn to look startled. His eyes narrowed as Coney walked into the courtroom, handcuffed and followed by a guard. The guard took the handcuffs off, and stepped a few feet away from the stand.  
Tracy stood, but remained beside the table. "Mr. Coney, would you state your full name and place of residence for the record?"  
"Charles M. Coney. I'm currently residing at the California State Penitentiary, courtesy of Detective's Starsky and Hutchinson."  
"Of what charges were you convicted, and what was your sentence?"  
"Kidnapping and attempted murder of a police officer. I got fifteen to life."  
"Were there other charges?"  
"Yeah. Possession of drugs with intent to sell."  
"And Detective's Starsky and Hutchinson were the arresting officers?"  
"Yeah, the bums."  
"I take it that you don't care for the detectives."  
"You could say that."  
"So, you have no reason to lie for them."  
"I wouldn't walk across the street to spit on them if they were on fire."  
"Good. Then your testimony will be the truth."  
"Yeah."  
"Would you tell the board the events leading up to your arrest?"  
"My Boss was looking for this girl that he was hooked up with..."  
He stopped as Tracy raised her hand. "What was your boss's name?"  
"Oh, sorry. Ben Forest, and the broad's name was Jeanie. Anyway, he was freaking out cause this dame knew too much about him and she had dropped out of sight. He found out that Hutchinson was banging her, so he figured he might know where she was. He had us stake out his joint, and grab him. We conked him on the head and tied him up, then took him to the Boss."  
"Exactly where did you take him, and who else was in the house?"  
"Monk, and Jimmy Clark. It was Monk's house. It had a weird name for the street. It sounded like witch hammer, or something like that."  
"By Monk, you're referring to Allan Phylos? Was the address 915 Merchamer Street?"  
"Yeah, that was it. Anyway, when Hutchinson wouldn't talk, the Boss decided to string him out. It didn't mean a damn thing that he was a cop. Nobody can beat the heroin. Nobody."  
"How long did you keep Detective Hutchinson captive?"  
"Four days. Man, he took to that stuff like a baby to a bottle. He couldn't get enough of it. After he was hooked real good, the Boss took it away. It didn't take long before he was on the floor, beggin' for it."  
"So, he told Ben Forest where Jeanie Walton was."  
"Yeah. The Boss knew it was only a matter of time."  
"What happened after Forest found Jeanie Walton?"  
"He brought her to the house, and told us to get rid of Hutchinson. We put him in the car, and was on the way to the docks when he got away."  
"What did you do?"  
"Monk started to go after him, but we saw this cop car down the street, so he got back into the car and we left."  
"Did you see Detective Hutchinson after that?"  
"Yeah. The Boss was real ticked that he got away, so me and Monk tore up the streets looking for him. We finally got hold of Micky, one of Starsky's pet stoolies, and used him to try to get to Starsky. Only, Hutchinson showed up, so I decided to go with the flow and get rid of him. Only, before I could, he got away again. I gotta give it to him. That is one tough cop. I chased him, but Starsky showed up in that hopped up car of his, and killed Monk before we got to Hutchinson."  
"How long had you been working for Ben Forest?"  
"I don't know. A long time. Since I was a kid, I guess."  
"So, would you consider yourself an expert on drugs, and drug addicts?"  
Coney laughed. "Yeah, that's what I am, an expert."  
"Before you forcibly injected the heroin into his bloodstream, did he act like someone who had used drugs before?"  
"Hutchinson? Hell, no! If he had used the stuff before, it wouldn't have hit him the way it did. That guy was as clean as a baby's bottom."  
"Thank you, Mr. Coney. Your witness, Detective."  
Simonetti took out his handkerchief and wiped his face before rising. He stood a safe distance from the felon, and thought a moment before speaking.  
"Since you don't care what happens to Starsky or Hutchinson, why are you here? What did Detective Edwards promise you in return for your testimony?"  
"A transfer."  
"A what?"  
"A transfer. They told me that they would get me transferred to the new prison. My old lady lives too far away from the State Pen to come and see me. So, Detective Edwards said if I came here today and testified, they'd get me transferred so she could come and see me."  
"So, she didn't offer to get your sentence reduced?"  
"Are you kiddin'? I don't think she likes me any more than I like her boyfriend."  
"I see. No more questions, Commander."  
"Very well. You may go, Mr. Coney."  
They all waited until Coney was handcuffed again, and led from the courtroom. Then Commander Horn turned to Tracy.  
"Do you have any other witnesses, Detective?"  
"Only one more, Commander. I call Detective Ross Meinders to the stand."  
Hutch turned slightly to trade a glance with his partner, and Starsky shrugged. You got me, Blintz. Sit back and enjoy the show.  
Hutch echoed the shrug and settled back in his seat. Tracy waited until Detective Meinders was seated, then started the questioning.  
"Detective Meinders, would you tell us how long you've been on the force, and in which department you work?"  
"Yes, ma'am. I've been on the force for thirteen years, and I work mainly in Vice. I've worked a few Robbery details, but only on loan when they were short handed."  
Simonetti stood and protested. "Commander, I don't see why this is relevant to Detective Hutchinson's case! Detective Meinders works in a completely different department, and doesn't have any knowledge about this case."  
Commander Horn looked over his glasses at Tracy. "Detective Edwards?"  
"If I may be permitted to continue, I can show relevance, Commander."  
"Very well, Detective, but make it quick."  
"Yes, sir. Now, Detective Meinders, have you ever suffered an injury in the line of duty?"  
"Yes, ma'am. I was chasing a suspect several years ago, and got pushed off a second story landing. I slid down the stairs, and messed up my back pretty bad."  
"That must have been extremely painful. Were you given a medical leave of absence?"  
"Yes, for almost a year."  
"Who was your doctor and what sort of treatment did you receive for your injuries?"  
"I had to have surgery, then I had to take Physical Therapy for six months. My doctor's name was Brian Lindsey."  
"Were you given any pain medications?"  
"Yes, ma'am. I was given Morphine at first, then Dr. Lindsey changed it to Demerol, and finally to Tylenol with Codeine."  
"So, as your back healed, your pain medication was downgraded. Did that work, Detective?"  
"Uh, no, ma'am, it didn't. The Morphine took care of the pain, and so did the Demerol, but the Tylenol with Codeine couldn't touch it. I was still in a lot of pain."  
"Did you tell your doctor?"  
"Yeah, but he said that I had built up a dependency for the Morphine, so he didn't want me on any strong medicine any more. He said I was feeling the withdrawal from the drug more than I was feeling the pain."  
"Did you agree with him?"  
"No, I didn't. I told him that I was the one that was hurt, so I should know what I was feeling."  
Simonetti stood up again. "Commander, this is ridiculous! This has nothing to do with Detective Hutchinson."  
"We'll give her a few more minutes. I'm curious to see where this is going. You may continue, Detective."  
"Thank you. So, you argued with Dr. Lindsey?"  
"Yes, ma'am. I told him that the Physical Therapy was making everything worse, and that I needed something stronger than Tylenol for the pain, but he wouldn't give it to me."  
"So, what did you do?"  
Detective Meinders looked down at his hands. "One day, after therapy, I went to his office and told the nurse that I had lost my watch. I'd been coming there for so long that she let me go in there alone. I waited until the door closed behind me, then stole the prescription pad from his desk."  
"Did you attempt to forge a prescription?"  
"Yes, but it didn't work. I must have looked really nervous, because the drug store guy called Dr. Lindsey to verify the prescription. Dr. Lindsey showed up a few minutes later, and made me go back to his office with him. He told me that he wouldn't tell my Captain what I did if I agreed to go into rehab."  
"Did you go?"  
"Yes, ma'am, for three months."  
"What happened after that? Did you return to duty?"  
"Yes, after I finished Physical Therapy and got certified. I was on desk duty for a while, then went back to active duty."  
"And how did that go?"  
"Not very good. I guess all the running around aggravated my back problem, and before I knew it, I was in pain again."  
"Did you tell Dr. Lindsey?"  
"Yeah, but it was the same old song. He gave me Tylenol #3 and told me to start Physical Therapy again. But, I knew if I did that, the Captain would put me back on desk duty, and I didn't want to be chained to a desk."  
"So, what did you do?"  
"I put up with the pain as long as I could. Finally, it got so bad that I couldn't stand it anymore. I knew Dr. Lindsey wouldn't give me anything, so I went looking on the streets."  
"You mean you bought illegal drugs?"  
"Yes, ma'am. I found a pusher that I had busted for pimping, and bought Morphine from him."  
"How long did this go on?"  
"Only for a week. I realized what I was doing, and that my doctor was right. I told my Captain what I'd done, and he helped me get back into Rehab. This time, I stayed clean. It took me almost a year, but I got myself back on the right track, with a lot of help."  
Tracy walked over to stand behind Hutch. "Detective Meinders, during that time, were you ever kidnapped?"  
Meinders shook his head. "No, ma'am."  
"Were you ever blindfolded, and your hands tied?"  
"No, ma'am."  
"Were you ever beaten?"  
"No, ma'am."  
"At any time, were you ever forced to take illegal drugs?"  
"No, ma'am. I did it all to myself."  
"Thank you, Detective. I know it took a lot of courage to come here today and tell us your experience, and I appreciate it."  
"Well, the department's been good to me, and I wanted to give a little back."  
"Just one more question, Detective. How long have you been drug-free?"  
"Almost six years."  
"Thank you, Detective. No more questions. Detective Simonetti?"  
Simonetti stood up and started to speak, then changed his mind. "I have no questions for this witness."  
Commander Horn motioned for Detective Meinders to step down, then spoke.  
"It's getting late. We'll recess for one hour, then we'll hear closing arguments. This hearing is adjourned."  
The four detectives waited for the room to clear, then Starsky clapped Hutch on the back.  
"I think we got them on the run, Blintz!"  
Hutch simply sat there with a bemused expression on his face. "Well, I'll be damned. How in the world did you ever convince Coney to testify? He hates us."  
Tracy grinned. "Yeah, but we did a little research, and found out that he was scared to death that his wife was running around on him. When we offered to have him transferred so he could see her more often AND keep a closer eye on her, he jumped at the chance. After all, he's already been convicted. He didn't lose anything by testifying."  
Micki added, "Besides, the punk is actually proud of what he did. And he does have a grudging respect for you, Ken. You not only beat the Heroin, but you beat Forest, too."  
"Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad you convinced him to come here today. I never thought I would say this, but I owe the punk one."  
Starsky grinned. "Imagine that. But, where did you get the idea to blow up the picture?"  
Tracy explained. "We needed proof that Hutch was forcibly addicted to the drug. Since Bernie never mentioned seeing them, we figured the ropes were gone by the time Ken went into that alley. But you told Huggy that day that someone had tied his hands together. So, we had a friend of ours blow up the pictures until we could see Ken's wrists. He had to blow it up twice before we could see the burns."  
Hutch shook his head in amazement. "Well, I'm sure glad you did. I'm confused about one thing, though. How did you find out about Meinders? I knew he was hurt, but I'd never heard the whole story until now."  
"You can thank Carl Berger for that. When word got around that you were being called up before IA, he came to us. He told us that we needed to talk to Meinders. Carl wouldn't tell us why, because he respected Meinders' privacy, but he hoped that Meinders would help when we told him what was happening to you. When we told Meinders that you were kidnapped and forced into using the Heroin, he agreed to testify."  
Hutch looked at his partner. "Well, I guess Carl paid his debt to us, tenfold."  
Starsky grinned. "You can say that again, partner."  
Hutch slapped the table, and stood up. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm ready to get out of here for a while. I could really use something to drink and some fresh air, in that order."  
Micki stood on tiptoe and kissed her husband. "Sounds good to me. Let's blow this popsicle stand."  
An hour later, they were back at the table, with Starsky sitting in his usual spot. They had just sat down when Commander Horn and the other members of the board entered the room. Simonetti and Dryden followed. Commander Horn looked around to make sure everyone was present.  
"Detective Simonetti, you may make a closing statement."  
"Yes, Commander." He walked up to the front of the room. "Detective Hutchinson has been accused of using illegal substances during his career as a police officer. We've heard several witnesses, including his own partner, testify that there were needle marks on his arm, and that he went through a period of withdrawal. Detective Starsky claims that his partner was forcibly addicted to Heroin by Benjamin Forest, in an attempt to illicit information from him. Starsky even admits to leaving out that information in his report, to protect his partner. Detective Starsky, and Charles Coney both give convincing evidence to support that allegation. If it weren't for Detective Hutchinson's checkered past, this could be a logical explanation for his addiction to Heroin. Unfortunately, his record speaks for itself. Detective Hutchinson has been reckless throughout his career, and has shown little regard for the rules and regulations of this department. I believe it is entirely possible that Detective Hutchinson was addicted to drugs before Ben Forest kidnapped him, and it was only after he escaped that he decided to kick his habit. I submit that there is sufficient evidence to support the charges and I request that a formal hearing be convened as soon as possible."  
Simonetti nodded briefly to the board members and sat down. Commander Horn motioned to Tracy. She walked to the table and addressed the members.   
"The regulations state that any officer that admits to using illegal drugs can be terminated immediately. Detective Meinders was injured in the line of duty, and used Morphine because of his injury. Even though he admitted to being addicted to Morphine, his commanding officer decided to send him to rehab, and allowed him to remain on the force. Detective Meinders admitted to his addiction, and received the support and assistance of the department. He didn't have to hide in an apartment and go through withdrawal without any medical help. And he didn't have to keep it a secret for six years. Detective Ken Hutchinson was injured in the line of duty, too. He was trying to keep Jeanie Walton away from Ben Forest. He knew that her life would be endangered if Forest found her, so he hid her at a cottage on Seaview Point. Keeping her location from his partner and Captain wasn't the wisest decision he could have made, but Detective Hutchinson was doing what she asked. He hadn't been assigned to investigate Ben Forest. He was in love with Jeanie Walton, and his only thought was to keep her safe. When Charles Coney and Allen Phylos kidnapped him, Hutch risked his own life to keep Jeanie's whereabouts a secret. He was beaten severely and denied food and water. When he still refused to disclose her location, Heroin was injected into his bloodstream, not once, but several times. After four days, Ben Forest denied him the drug his body craved, and his body betrayed him. He told Forest where Jeanie was, and instantly became a liability to Forest. So, Ben Forest instructed his men to take Detective Hutchinson to the docks and dispose of him. Somehow, he managed to escape and with his partner's help, endured the pain of withdrawal and became drug-free once again. If you don't think that is a form of torture, then you have never seen a true drug addict in the throes of withdrawal."  
Tracy smiled slightly. "Detective Hutchinson has the dubious honor of being the first victim of a crime to be brought before an Internal Affairs Review Board. He has listened while painful memories of his life have been offered as evidence of corruption and insubordination. His value and his ethics as a police officer have been challenged. Detective Hutchinson didn't allow himself to be abducted and tortured. He was obeying the oath he had taken, to protect and serve. However, since the drug in this case was Heroin, he was forced to keep the entire incident a secret. He had only his partner and his Captain to turn to for help. And because being a police officer is so important to him, he hid the truth for six years, living in fear that one day, someone would discover the ordeal he had endured."  
She walked over to stand beside Hutch. "Gentlemen, Detective Hutchinson didn't do anything wrong. He is just as deserving of the support of this department as Detective Meinders was through his ordeal. I submit to you that Detective Hutchinson didn't let this department down when he was forcibly addicted to Heroin, but rather, it was the department that let him down."   
She sat down beside him and waited. Commander Horn waited for a moment, then spoke.   
"This hearing is adjourned pending our decision. All parties will be notified when a determination is made. Until then, you are all dismissed."  
Tracy sat down beside Hutch and breathed a sigh of relief. For better or for worse, the hearing was over. It was out of her hands now. She reached over and patted Hutch's hand.  
"Well, there's no sense in sitting here all day. Why don't we all go to The Pits and let Huggy know what's happening? I'm sure he's as anxious as we are."  
Starsky held his hand out to Tracy, smiling. "Sounds good to me. What do you say, partner? You ready to get out of here?"  
Hutch nodded. "I'll say! I've had about as much of this room as I can take."  
The two couples gratefully left the station and drove to The Pits. It didn't take long to fill Huggy in on the rest of the hearing. He brought them all something to drink, then sat down with them.  
"Don't worry, my blonde brother. It will all work out, you'll see. After all, you got the Negotiator on your side. How can you lose?"  
"You got that right, Hug. You should have seen the looks Griffey was sending to Simonetti. I don't think he was too happy with his top head-hunter."  
Micki squeezed Hutch's hand comfortingly, and spoke up. "I think I've heard enough shop talk for one day. Do you think we could talk about something else for a change?"  
Thankfully, the conversation turned to brighter subjects, namely the wedding that was growing closer. Two hours later, the call they were waiting for came. Huggy listened for a moment, then turned back to the detectives.   
"Well, this is it, guys and gals. That was Dobey. The review board has reached a decision. He wants you all back there ASAP."  
They drove back to the station and had barely taken their seats when Lieutenant Griffey and the others entered the room.   
Commander Horn looked up from the papers in front of him. He gazed steadily at Hutch.  
"Sergeant Hutchinson, this board owes you an apology. No police officer should ever have to go through what you did. This office was created to prosecute corrupt police officers, not victims of violent crimes. I may not agree with your methods, but I have no doubt that your intentions were honorable. This hearing has simply added insult to injury, and for that, I apologize profoundly. There has been no evidence presented to support charges of illegal drug abuse, so there will be no formal hearing. You are cleared of all wrong doing, and this hearing is now adjourned. Oh, and congratulations on your marriage. I hope it is a long and happy one."  
Hutch smiled gratefully as the board members filed out of the room. After the door had closed, the celebration began. Starsky and Micki both let out a jubilant cheer, and Tracy threw her arms around Hutch's neck. No one noticed Simonetti standing beside the door, or the look of pure hatred that he gave them.   
The two couples were still celebrating after they left the building. Hutch picked his wife up and swung her around.   
"I can't believe it! I'm free! After all these years, I am finally free."  
He turned to Tracy and gave her a big hug. "And I owe it all to you. The next time Starsky wants to buy a rundown house, I'll know who can sell it for him."  
They all laughed, then Starsky sobered. "There's something we haven't thought about. Are you girls going to tell Griffey that Simonetti knew the whole story before he went to the board? You know he ain't going to like it."  
Tracy glanced at her partner, then sighed. "We're not sure yet. I have the feeling Simonetti is in big trouble anyway. But, Griffey needs to know. Simonetti's been using IA for his own vendetta against you two, and that isn't what IA is all about."  
Hutch nodded thoughtfully. "You have a point. Maybe this will put a stop to the grudge match. Surely Simonetti won't be stupid enough to keep on with it now."  
Micki shrugged. "That's why I think we need to talk to Griffey. If Simonetti doesn't stop, he's going to end up ruining Dryden's career along with his own. And you'll notice that Dryden has been staying in the background through all of this."  
Micki kissed Hutch, then stepped back. "Why don't you and Davey go tell Huggy the news? He's probably going nuts by now. Tracy and I will go talk to Griffey. We'll meet you at The Pits in a little while."  
Starsky and Hutch headed to the garage, while Micki and Tracy went back into the station. As Starsky had predicted, Griffey wasn't happy to hear what the girls had to say. He waited until they left and called Simonetti into his office. He motioned for Simonetti to sit down, then glared at him.  
"I warned you, Alex. I told you that this wasn't a vigilante department, and that I wouldn't tolerate you using it for your own grudge against Starsky and Hutchinson. Now, I find out that you knew what happened to Hutchinson before you came to me. On top of all that, you lied to me when I asked you a direct question about it. You have two choices. You can resign now, or face termination. If you resign, your pension will stay intact. You can go to work somewhere else, without a blemish on your record. If you refuse to resign, you'll lose everything."  
Simonetti sat rigidly in his chair. His jaw clenched and relaxed twice, then he said calmly, "You'll have my resignation in the morning."  
He stood, and with his back perfectly straight, he walked out of Griffey's office.   
The two couples celebrated at The Pits until after midnight, then went back to their own apartments. Gratefully, they returned to their normal routines the next morning. Starsky and Hutch spent the morning going over files, reacquainting themselves with the latest cases the Task Force had been assigned to. Micki and Tracy concentrated on the upcoming hearing for Fred Morris, a suspected child molester that had plead innocent by means of mental deficiency. The hearing would be difficult, because there had been extensive media coverage already.  
Micki looked up at the clock on the wall. "Man, I can't believe it's almost noon! Hey, I'm hungry. Why don't we corral the guys and make them take us out to lunch?"  
Tracy rolled her eyes at her partner. "Micki, you would want to eat in the middle of an earthquake. These files on the molested kids are disgusting. How can you think about food at a time like this?"  
"What good would it do these kids if I starve to death? The hearing isn't until next month. I don't think I'm going to wait that long to eat."  
Tracy threw her hands up in surrender. "OK, let's go get the guys, and we'll go out to lunch. We can go over the rest of these files when we get back."  
They walked out into the main office and found Starsky sitting at his computer. Micki looked around, but didn't see her husband.  
"Where's Ken, Davey? We were going to let you buy us lunch."  
Starsky closed the file he was reading and sat back. "Now that's the best idea I've heard all morning. Hutch went down to Central Supply to pick up some more paper. I thought computers were supposed to save paper, not use more."  
Micki laughed. "I don't think we'll ever get rid of forms in triplicate. Having a computer just means we can get it done faster. Look, you two wait here and I'll go get Ken. Maybe if we have lunch, I'll feel like tackling the rest of those files when we get back."  
Starsky nodded. "OK, go ahead. But you tell that husband of yours that we want to go to a real restaurant. No healthy junk, got it?"  
Micki grinned. "Got it. I'll be right back."  
Micki hummed quietly to herself as she walked down to the basement. She had just reached the bottom of the stairs when she saw Hutch coming toward her. He smiled as she walked toward him.  
"Well, what brings you down to the dungeon? Were you looking for me?"  
Micki stood on tiptoe and kissed him. "Yep, I'm hungry. If you play your cards right, I'll let you take me out to lunch."  
Hutch put on a sad expression. "I should have known. The honeymoon is over. You only want me for my money."  
Micki laughed out loud. "The honeymoon hasn't even started yet, and you don't have any money. We're cops, for Heaven's sake. What do you expect?"  
"You got me on that one. Let's grab Starsky and Tracy and get out of here for a while."  
Hutch had just turned to go up the stairs when he felt something hard jab him in the ribs. He stiffened as he heard the voice behind him.  
"Well, if it isn't the newlyweds. Turn around, the both of you. Take it nice and slow."  
Micki spread her hands out at her sides. She spoke calmly. "Whatever the problem is, Simonetti, you're not going to solve it with a gun."  
Simonetti jabbed the gun harder into Hutch's ribs. "I'm not trying to solve anything. Do you know where I've just been? I was in Griffey's office. I turned in my resignation, my badge, and my service revolver. So, you see, I have nothing left to lose. You can walk out that door, or I can shoot you both right now. It really doesn't matter to me. My career is over. I'm not real worried about my life."  
Hutch remained motionless. "You're life isn't over, Simonetti. You may have resigned, but you can always do something else. If you shoot us, you won't get out of here alive. Death is real final. You can't change your mind afterwards."  
"Oh, sure, I can do something else. I can be a night watchman, or a guard at one of those gated communities. There are all sorts of things that I can do." He snarled as he cocked the trigger. "I'm not some old horse that's been put out to pasture. I had a real future, until you and your so-called wife came along. Now, you are going to turn around and act like I am your best friend, then we're going to walk out the basement door into the garage."  
Simonetti moved closer to Micki, and pressed the gun into her side. "Now, I know you might be stupid enough to do something heroic if this gun is on you, but I don't think you'll risk your wife's life. I want you to take that cannon out of its holster and put it down on top of that filing cabinet. That's it, nice and slow. Shall we?"  
Hutch looked at his wife, then shrugged slightly. They did as Simonetti ordered, and the three of them walked through the door and into the parking garage. They walked to Simonetti's beige colored Ford, and he motioned for them to stop.   
"You're going to drive, Hutchinson, and we're going to get in the back seat. If you try anything, she'll be dead before you can turn around. Get in and start the car. I'll give you directions when we're out of the garage."  
The three rode in an uneasy silence, except when Simonetti gave instructions to Hutch. He had them drive deep into the oldest part of the garment district, where several buildings lay empty. After they had turned for the third time, Simonetti pointed to an alley.  
"Turn in there. Now, pull up behind that warehouse and park. I want you to get out and stand by the door with your hands where I can see them. Don't move, don't turn around, don't even twitch if you don't want to see her die."  
Hutch gritted his teeth and did as he was told. His heart pounded in his chest as he searched desperately for a way out of the situation. Starsky and Tracy would realize something was wrong when they didn't return, but would it be too late? Simonetti had obviously gone over the edge, and Hutch didn't doubt for a minute that he fully intended to kill them. He hoped fervently that an idea would occur to him once they were out of the confines of the alley and into the building. They walked slowly up to the door, with Hutch in front as usual. Simonetti reached into his pocket and pulled out a key ring. Hutch stole a look at Micki, who raised her eyebrow. He sighed inwardly. Maybe that would be a lead for Starsky to follow, after their bodies were found. I could really use a miracle right now, Starsk. It's time for the cavalry to come over the hill, like they do in those old movies you love so much.   
Once they were in the warehouse, Simonetti herded them into the middle of the room. He looked around with a self-satisfied smirk on his face.  
"It's perfect, wouldn't you say? By the time they figure out that I own this worthless building, there won't be enough left of your bodies to bury. The deed to this thing is in my brother's name, and he's been dead for three years. It's been abandoned for even longer than that, so there isn't even a tax bill they can trace. Not bad for a spur-of-the-moment plan, if I do say so myself."  
Micki kept her voice low. "Simonetti, you're not thinking clearly. So far, you haven't committed any crime. You can let us go, and no one will be the wiser. I know you feel like the world is against you, but that isn't true. You still have a lot of choices. Don't throw them all away."  
The ex-IA detective lashed out with his free hand, slapping her across the face. "Shut up! You don't know how I feel! You've got everything. You're the Captain's own personal Justice League. You don't know anything!"  
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a Swiss dagger, fingering the ornately decorated hilt lovingly. He smiled malevolently as his mood changed again.   
"This is something else they don't know about. I've been collecting knives for years. This is my pride and joy. There isn't a single flaw. It's perfect in every way."  
Simonetti gazed at Micki, his eyes glittering with hatred. "You think you're something. You know everything there is to know about everything. Did you get a big laugh out of the review hearing? Did you get off on destroying my career? You've got them all fooled, but you can't fool me. I'm going to show the whole world what you're really like. You know, I could rape you with hubby looking on, but you're not my type. I've got a better idea. By the time I get done with you, your own mother won't even want to look at you."  
Before either Micki or Hutch could move, Simonetti slashed downward with the dagger, leaving a long, oozing line of blood on the side of Micki's face.   
Hutch roared and lunged toward Simonetti. Calmly, without any expression, Simonetti shot him twice in the chest. Micki froze, her eyes wide, with her hand still clutching the wound on her face. Horrified, she watched as Hutch collapsed onto the concrete floor.   
"NNOOOOO!!!!" She cried, and tried to dodge around Simonetti.   
Before she could move, he snarled at her again, and blocked her path to Hutch. The smile he gave her was pure maliciousness.  
"One down, one to go."

Micki forced her thoughts away from her husband and concentrated on the immediate threat in front of her. She could feel the blood trickling down her chin, and dripping onto her blouse. Cautiously, she backed away from the deranged IA agent.   
"Simonetti, don't do this. Please let me go to him. Let me get help. It's not too late. For God's sake, DON'T LET HIM DIE!"  
"Are we begging now? That's good. Go ahead. Beg me. If you're real convincing, I might put a bullet in you, and let you die in his arms. I SAID, BEG ME!"  
Micki moved back another few steps, then slowly dropped to her knees. "Please, let me go to him. I don't want him to die alone. Please."  
He started toward her, with the gun aimed at her head. "Well, since you asked so nicely...."  
When he was only a few inches away, Micki attacked with the only weapon she had: her body. She launched herself at him with her arms stretched out in front of her. The gun flew out of his hand and across the room as he fell to the floor. Micki crawled on her knees toward the gun, but before she could reach it, she heard a bellow from behind her. She looked up and barely had time to shield her face with her hands as he leapt toward her. She gasped as the blade sliced her palms. She scrambled backwards and jumped to her feet as he swiped at her once more. Frantically, she tried to stay out of his reach as he slashed back and forth with the dagger.  
Simonetti smiled as he taunted her. "What's the matter, girlie? Where's those superpowers now? How's it feel to be on the losing side?"  
Micki didn't try to answer him, and concentrated instead on preserving her waning strength. The cuts on her arms and hands weren't deep, but she could feel herself getting weaker from loss of blood. Simonetti had stationed himself in the middle of the large room, effectively blocking any escape. Steadfastly, she tried to reach Hutch, but each time she drew near, Simonetti lashed out at her with the dagger. Suddenly, her foot slipped on something on the floor. She glanced down quickly and saw the gun lying beside her. With one last desperate effort, she dropped to the floor, grabbed the gun and rolled away. She didn't try to aim as she squeezed the trigger. Simonetti howled as he dropped the dagger and clutched his right temple, and fell to the floor.   
Micki tried to stand, but the blood she had lost finally took its toll. She ignored the fallen man as she crawled toward Hutch. Tears mixed with the blood on her face as she kissed her husband, then collapsed beside him with her head on his shoulder.

Starsky tapped his foot impatiently as he checked his watch for the third time. He frowned at Tracy.  
"What's taking them so long? We could've been to Huggy's and back by now. You don't think they skipped out on us, do you?"  
Tracy grinned and shook her head. "Ken wouldn't do that to you. He'd know that you'd never let him forget it. Plus, you'd make his life miserable for the next ten years. They probably ran into somebody between the basement and here, and they just lost track of the time."  
"Well, my stomach knows what time it is. It's time to eat. Let's go hunt'em down and get out of here before I starve to death."  
She smiled indulgently. "Poor baby. It's been, what, a whole four hours since you ate? Come on, we'll start at the stairs and work our way to the basement. I'll take Micki's purse with me, so we don't have to come back to the office."  
"Good idea. Let's go."  
There was no sign of the missing partners as they reached the basement. Starsky walked up to Bigelow.   
"Hey, Biggie, have you seen Hutch and Micki lately?"  
"They were just here, Starsky. What did you do, lose your partner? Maybe you should put a bell around his neck. And I thought you were supposed to be a detective." He snickered at his own wit.  
"Ha, ha. Don't quit your day job, Biggie. A comedian, you ain't. How long ago did they leave?"  
"I've got better things to do than keep track of your partner, Starsky. I guess it was about twenty or thirty minutes ago."  
"And you saw Micki, too, right?"  
Bigelow gave Starsky a long-suffering look. "Yes, they were standing right over there, talking. Then Simonetti walked up to them, and they all left."  
Starsky's eyes narrowed. "Simonetti was here? Could you hear what they were saying?"  
"No, they weren't talking that loud."  
Tracy kept her voice even. "Where were they standing, exactly?"  
Bigelow pointed nonchalantly. "Over there, by that filing cabinet. They all went out that door and into the parking garage."  
Tracy moved away, with an absentminded thank-you. When she saw Hutch's Colt Python sitting on top of the cabinet, she looked at Starsky. She could tell they were thinking the same thing.  
Starsky took a deep breath. "I think we'd better call the Captain."

 

The watch on Starsky's wrist felt like a time bomb that was about to explode. Counting the time they had waited for Micki and Hutch, together with the time it had taken to get a search party together, the couple had been missing for over an hour. No one but Bigelow had seen them leave. Captain Dobey had summoned Lieutenant Griffey as soon as Starsky called him, and learned that Simonetti had indeed resigned. Dobey staunchly ignored the vise gripping his chest.   
"So, it's safe to assume that his mood wasn't the best. We're not going to be naive and assume they made peace at the last minute. The only question is, where did they go?"  
Griffey spread his hands out before him. "I don't know. Alex has never talked about himself much. I don't know if he had any favorite retreats or not. Maybe Dryden will know."  
Starsky handed him the phone. "Call him. I gotta feelin' we're running out of time."  
Griffey placed the call, then looked back at the brunette detective. "You don't actually think...."  
"I don't know what I think. I just know we're running out of time. We're standing here beating our gums while Hutch and Micki are at the mercy of a psycho."  
Dryden took the stairs two at a time and hurried up to the small group. "Have you put an APB out on Alex's car?"  
Dobey nodded. "Yes, and we've got every available unit looking for them. Bill, do you have any idea where he would take them?"  
"I've been racking my brain, but I can't think of any place he'd go. He lives in an apartment building, so I can't see him going there. Alex doesn't have much of a life outside of the department, so I don't think he'd have a cabin or boat, or anything out of the way like that."  
"What about relatives? Do any of them live outside of the city?"  
"His parents are dead. He has a sister, but she lives in Wisconsin. He had a brother, but he died a few years ago."  
Starsky pounded the top of the metal cabinet with his fist. "They have to be somewhere! They didn't just disappear off the face of the planet! Think, Bill. You know him better than anyone else. We need something."  
Dryden paced the length of the hall, thinking furiously. He snapped his fingers as pieces of a long ago conversation came back to him. He turned to the others.  
"Alex's brother had a warehouse. At least, that's what he was going to use it for. He had a brainstorm about this business he was going to start, but it never got off the ground. The building sat empty for a couple of years, then Sammy got sick, and died a year later. I guess Alex inherited the building, but he never said anything else about it."  
"Do you know where it is?"  
"In the old garment district. Twelfth Street, I think."  
Starsky clapped him on the back. "That's a good start, anyway. Let's go. Cap, can you get us some back up?"  
"I'll have all the units in that area be on the look-out, Starsky. Be careful, though. We don't want to go barging in on him. Considering his state of mind, there's no telling what he would do."  
They were only a few blocks away from the district when the call came over the radio. Simonetti's car had been spotted, parked behind an old building, but there was no sign of its occupants. Starsky cut the siren, and parked behind the beige Ford. He quickly ordered the uniformed officers to spread out, then gently opened the door to the factory.

Inside the building, Hutch slowly regained consciousness. The searing pain in his chest made it hard to breathe. He felt the weight of something lying against him, and looked down to see his wife's long, dark hair under his chin. He tried to whisper her name, but a cough tore through his body instead. His arms were like dead weights at his side. He saw a shadow on the floor out of the corner of his eye, and looked up to see a ghastly apparition coming toward him. Simonetti, the right side of his face covered in blood, was holding an old rusted axe over his head as he moved toward the fallen couple. Hutch could only watch as he drew nearer.   
The sound of a gunshot reverberated around the empty room. Simonetti staggered, and the axe dropped on the concrete floor with a loud clang. Hutch's ears were still ringing when another shot echoed in the room. This time, Simonetti fell backwards and lay still. With the last of his strength, Hutch moved his head and looked toward the source of the shots. Starsky was standing beside them, his gun still aimed at Simonetti. Tracy appeared suddenly as Starsky holstered his weapon.  
Starsky dropped to his knees beside his fallen partner, dismissing Simonetti with a glance. Hutch was still conscious, but barely. There was so much blood that he couldn't tell which was Micki's and which was Hutch's. Starsky spoke calmly, in spite of the fear raging inside him.  
"Take it easy, partner. The cavalry is here. I can't leave you alone for a minute, can I? Look what you've gotten yourself into now."  
Hutch tried vainly to move his hand again. With his last remaining strength, he whispered, "Micki."  
"Shhh. Don't try to talk. She's hurt, but she's breathing. You just make sure you do the same. The ambulance should be here in a minute."  
Tracy knelt down beside Starsky, and gently touched the blonde detective's cheek. "You're both going to be OK. Just hold on. It's all over. Help is on the way."

Two ambulances raced up to the emergency room entrance. Their doors flew open, and several people jumped out all at once, like a clown routine in a circus sideshow. Only, the red on their white uniforms wasn't a prop. Two still figures lay on the gurneys, the white sheets that covered them splattered with blood. Starsky jumped out behind the gurney carrying Hutch, with Tracy following Micki. The grim parade rushed into the Trauma center, where doctors and nurses waited to perform their magic. A friendly nurse stood in the entrance, effectively blocking the two detectives' path.   
"Whoa! This is as far as you go. Let us do our jobs."  
Starsky opened his mouth to protest. "But..."  
"No buts. We'll do everything we can for them. Now, make yourself useful. Go fill out the paperwork."  
She turned them around and gently nudged them toward the admitting desk. Mechanically, Starsky walked to the desk and stood. Tracy walked up beside him and laid her head on his shoulder. He put his arms around her and held her close.   
This ain't happening. We're supposed to get married next month, for God's sake. How the Hell did we get here? Dear God, don't let them die.  
Numbly, Starsky and Tracy answered all the clerk's questions, and filled out the forms as they were handed to them. Finally, the clerk pointed to a small room beside the ER. Starsky nodded slightly, then led Tracy into the room, and sat down on a small couch. Eons later, the same friendly nurse came into the room, carrying a small bundle in her hands. She crossed over to the two weary detectives.  
Starsky looked up hopefully. "How are they? Are they going to be OK?" Are they still alive? His lips refused to form the words.  
The nurse shook her head. "The doctors are still working on them. It will be a while before we know anything. Here, I brought you both some scrubs. You can change in the bathroom over there."  
Starsky looked at the clothes, bewildered. "Change? Why?"  
She motioned for him to look down, her lips curved in a smile. "You'll scare the other patients."  
Starsky looked down at himself, then at Tracy. They were both covered in their partners' blood. Still in a daze, he nodded and took the clothes from her. He gave Tracy a set, and kept one for himself. He went into the bathroom, and got out of his blood-soaked jeans and shirt. The scrubs felt strange, but at least they were clean, and dry. Then he picked up the jeans and shirt, and stuffed them in the trashcan. Starsky stood at the sink and washed the dried blood off his hands as best he could. He met Tracy coming out of the women's bathroom, and together, they walked back into the waiting room. Starsky blinked as he saw the gathering in front of him. The room was filled with police officers, including Dobey. Huggy stood in the center of the room, looking distinctly uncomfortable.   
The curly-haired detective shot a questioning look at his Captain. Dobey motioned to the crowd.  
"They heard about what happened. They figured maybe Hutch and Micki could use some extra blood. They've come to donate."  
Starsky smiled genuinely. He raised his hand, and waited for the talking to stop. "Thanks, everybody. I know Hutch and Micki will appreciate it, too. It's nice to know we have so many friends."  
Carl Berger grinned and winked. "What friends? I've already got my monkey suit reserved for the wedding, and I wanted to make sure I had somewhere to wear it. Besides, I can't wait to see you two walk down the aisle. You're not getting out of it this way, Starsk. You've escaped the ball and chain long enough."  
The tension in the room dropped several levels as everyone laughed. The officers filed past Starsky, clapping him on the back, or squeezing his shoulder as they passed. The admitting clerks were kept busy as the proper forms were filled out, and the men and women prepared to donate the life-saving substance.   
Huggy walked up and handed his friends a cup of coffee and a sandwich. "It's going to be a long night. You might as well sit down and take a load off. Standing here ain't gonna make it go any faster."  
Starsky smiled and accepted the food. "Thanks, Hug. I just wish they'd tell us something."  
"You can't rush it, m'man. Give the docs time to do their job. It'll be OK, you'll see. A month from now, this will all be like a bad dream."  
"I hope so, Hug."  
Huggy winked at his friend. "Hey, I'm betting on it, and the Bear only bets on a sure thing."  
Several cups of coffee later, two tired doctors walked into the waiting room. Instantly, Starsky and Tracy were on their feet, followed by Huggy and Dobey. The taller, younger doctor held his hand out.  
"I'm Dr. Ross, and this is Dr. Shaper. Why don't we all sit down, and I'll tell you what we're looking at now."  
Starsky was barely in his chair before he asked, "How are they, Doc? Are they going to make it?"  
"They've both got a good chance, Detective Starsky. Let me start at the beginning. Sergeant Hutchinson was shot twice, as you know. The first bullet punctured his lung. We were able to go in and repair the damage, and re-inflate the lung. The good news is, the second bullet missed his heart completely. It didn't miss by much, but the important thing is the heart wasn't damaged. In fact, the bullet passed completely through Sergeant Hutchinson's body without doing any significant damage at all. To be honest, when I looked at the X-Rays, I thought I would find a lot more damage than I did. My real concern is the loss of blood. Thanks to your fellow officers, we have an ample supply of B-negative blood. That's good, because Mrs. Hutchinson's blood type is also B-negative. The next twenty-four hours will be critical. If we can prevent any serious infection, or complications such as pneumonia, I think Sergeant Hutchinson will recover fully."  
Starsky breathed a sigh of relief, and squeezed Tracy's hand. "Thank God. But, how's Micki? She's going to be OK, too, right?"  
Dr. Shaper took over the conversation. "She's in guarded condition, Detective. Mrs. Hutchinson lost a great deal of blood, also. We've been giving her transfusions, but she was in a deep state of shock when she was brought in. She has a laceration on her face, approximately eight centimeters long. She has several lacerations on her palms, and forearms, ranging from three to nine centimeters. They were caused by a very sharp blade, and aren't that deep, but it took over three hundred sutures to close the wounds. The shock was caused, of course, by the loss of blood. If we can stabilize her, she should recover completely. The next twenty-four hours will be critical for her, also."  
Tracy was quiet for a moment, and then asked, "Will she need plastic surgery?"  
"It's possible, but at this point, I'm not sure. Since the blade was extremely sharp, the cuts are clean, and sutured neatly. It could be that after a while, the scars will be barely noticeable. Unfortunately, we won't know for sure until they are completely healed. That will take some time. Let's wait and see how she feels when she wakes up."  
Tracy nodded. "When do you think they will wake up?"  
"Hopefully, within the next twenty-four hours. If they don't, then we'll start to worry about serious complications. But, let's not get ahead of ourselves. They've both done very well up till now, so there's no reason to borrow trouble. We're getting ready to move them into ICU now. You'll be able to see them for a few minutes, but they need their rest."  
An hour later, Starsky sat in one ICU room with his partner, while Tracy held vigil over her partner. Starsky looked around the small room. It was eerily quiet; the only sound came from the monitors above the bed. The steady rhythm of the beeps was comforting, though. They reminded Starsky that his best friend had come through the surgery relatively intact. For once, Starsky didn't feel like he was sitting by Hutch's deathbed. They had escaped that fate once again.   
"Now all you have to do is wake up, Hutch. Come on, we've got a wedding to go to. You wouldn't want Simonetti to beat ya, would you?"  
The beeping monitor was his only answer. Starsky sighed. Hutch had only been out of surgery for a few hours. It wasn't time to start worrying yet. He settled back as best he could in the plastic chair, and watched the numbers blinking on the monitor. Hutch was alive. That was all that mattered.  
In the next room, Tracy watched with relief as the numbers on Micki's monitor settled down to a steady stream. She had been given several pints of blood, and finally, her vital signs were returning to normal. Tracy reached over and gently moved a stray hair away from the bandage on Micki's face. The brunette's hands were bandaged, and lie on top of the white blanket.   
"Wake up, Mick. Talk to me. It's over. You're going to be OK. Please wake up. I don't like talking to myself."  
As if she had heard her friend, Micki moved her head and moaned softly. Tracy watched, ecstatic, as Micki slowly regained consciousness.   
"Micki? That's it, wake up. Come on, talk to me. It's Tracy. You can do it. Wake up!"  
Suddenly, Micki's eyes popped open. "Ken! NOOOOO!!!!!! Get away from him! Get away!"  
Tracy stood by the bed and gently, but firmly, held Micki's forearms. "It's OK, Mick. Ken's going to be all right. You're in the hospital. Ken's right next door."  
Micki looked at her partner, tears streaming down her face. "He's dead! Oh, God, Simonetti shot him! I tried to get to him, but Simonetti kept blocking me. I couldn't get past him. He killed him!"  
"Micki, listen to me! Ken is NOT dead. He made it through the surgery, and he's got a good chance. You both do. You're going to be OK, I promise. Both of you are."  
Slowly, Micki's breathing slowed. She looked beseechingly at Tracy. "He's alive? He's going to be all right? You promise?"  
Tracy smiled, her eyes shining with tears. "I promise. David is sitting with him, right next door. As soon as you're strong enough, you can go see him. Simonetti's dead, Mick. David shot him. He can't hurt you anymore."  
Micki closed her eyes and looked away from Tracy. "I'm sorry. I didn't want him to die. It's my fault. I took everything away from him in that hearing. I didn't even leave him his dignity."  
"Now you look at me, Micki Hutchinson. You didn't do any such thing. Something happened to Simonetti long before the hearing took place. He was getting irrational before you ever met Ken. I'll bet you that when we read his file, we'll see that Ken and David weren't his only obsessions. Whatever we find, none of this is your fault. So, get that out of your head right now. All you have to worry about is getting well. We have a wedding coming up, in case you don't remember."  
Micki smiled for the first time. "I remember. That's what kept me going. I knew I had to get to Ken. I couldn't let him die. But, I feel sorry for Dryden. Simonetti was his partner, after all."  
"I know. It won't be easy for Bill, but he'll move on. He tried to keep Simonetti in check, but he couldn't stop him from going over the edge. Now, get some sleep. The sooner you get your strength back, the sooner you can see Ken."  
"He's really going to be all right?"  
"Yes, he's really going to be all right. Hush now. Go to sleep."  
Starsky rose stiffly and walked around the small room, trying to ease the ache in his back. He looked through the blinds covering the small window. The sun was starting to set, and long shadows covered the green grass around the hospital. For a few minutes, he watched the traffic going up and down the street. Lost in his reverie, he was startled by a weak voice coming from the bed.  
"Starsk."  
He swung around, exultantly. "Hutch! You're awake!"  
He crossed the room in one step, and smiled down at the blonde. "Welcome back, buddy. I was beginning to think you were going to sleep forever."  
Hutch closed his eyes and took a shallow breath. "Micki?"  
"She's here, in the next room. You two gave us quite a scare, but you're going to be OK."  
"Thank God. Simonetti?"  
Starsky laid his hand on Hutch's shoulder. "He's dead, Hutch. I got to the warehouse just in time to see him coming at you with a fire axe. I tried just winging him, but he kept coming. I didn't have a choice."  
"Damn. I never thought it would come to this. I wanted him to leave us alone, but I didn't want him to die."  
"I know, Blintz. But don't let that famous Hutchinson guilt take over. This wasn't your fault. You didn't send Simonetti off the deep end. He did that himself."  
"I guess you're right. I just wish there had been another way." Hutch moved slightly, grimacing with the pain. "How's Micki? How bad did he hurt her?"  
"He cut her pretty bad. She fought like a tiger to get to you. She's got one cut on her face, and the rest are on her hands and arms. Her doctor's good. He says that eventually, the scars will just fade away, and she won't even need plastic surgery. We won't know for sure until after she's healed, but he says he's optimistic. In doctor talk, that usually means a sure thing."  
"I want to see her."  
"You will, but you've got some healing to do, too. As soon as you get a little stronger, they'll move you to a private room. Then, you can see her."  
Later, when both Hutchinson's were asleep, Starsky and Tracy went back to their apartment for a much-needed shower, and some sleep. After they got out of the shower, Starsky poured a cup of coffee for himself, and handed a soda to Tracy. He raised his mug in a toast.  
"Here's to the end of a nightmare. Hutch's addiction is out in the open, Forest can't hurt him anymore, and Simonetti is finally off our backs, forever."  
"Here, here. Hutch kept that secret for so many years. I can only imagine what he must have went through, what you both went through. At least it's over now. In a way, Simonetti did him a favor. He brought everything out in the open, and forced Hutch to deal with it. No one can hold it over his head ever again."  
"I guess you have a point, but the cost was too high. We almost lost Hutch and Micki both. I can't say that I'm grateful to Simonetti for that."  
Tracy put her arms around him and held him close. "I know. I can't even think about what could have happened. I'm just glad it's over. Now, we can move on, and be happy."  
"Amen, sweetheart, amen."   
Starsky put down the coffee cup, and took Tracy's hand. Together, they walked into the bedroom, secure in the knowledge that both of their partners were safe.

 

The next morning, the couple went back to the hospital, their energy renewed after a good night's sleep. As they entered the ICU, Tracy heard her partner's extremely agitated voice. She dropped Starsky's hand and ran into the room. Two nurses were vainly trying to subdue the upset detective.   
"I want to see my husband! If he's really here, and he's really OK, then why can't I see him?"  
"Mrs. Hutchinson, you aren't strong enough to get out of bed yet. Your husband is recovering, but he is still very weak, and so are you. You should be able to see him in another day or two. Please be patient."  
"Patient my ass! The last time I saw my husband, he was flat on his back on a concrete floor, bleeding to death. I want to see him NOW!! Unless you're lying to me, and something's happened to him."  
Starsky moved around to the side of the bed. "Micki, listen to me. Hutch isn't dead. He's right next-door. But you gotta listen to the nurses. If you try to get up, you'll fall flat on your face and hurt yourself even more."  
Micki looked up, her eyes pleading with him. "I have to see him, Davy. Please, just once and I'll behave. I need to see for myself that he's still alive."  
Starsky looked at her, and thought about how he would feel if he were lying in that bed. He made his decision, turning to the nurse. "I need a wheelchair."  
"Detective Starsky, this is highly irregular. Her doctor hasn't given his permission for her to get out of bed."  
Starsky kept his voice even. "Look, nurse, I know this lady. She's going to see Hutch, one-way or the other. If you don't do it my way, she's going to wait until your back is turned, and then she's going to crawl in there if she has to. You can call Dr. Shaper if it will make you feel better, but I'm going to take her in to see Hutch. Now."  
"Very well, but don't do anything until I talk to Dr. Shaper."  
Micki looked at her, steel in her eyes. "You have five minutes."  
Starsky grinned. "You heard the lady."  
Four and a half minutes later, the nurse was back. "Dr. Shaper wasn't happy, but he gave his permission, on one condition. You don't try to get out of the wheelchair, and you can only stay for a few minutes. Then it's back to bed, until he tells you that you can get up."  
Micki grinned. "Deal." She started to sit up, but Starsky stopped her with his hand.  
"Hold on, Munchkin. I do all the work, and you sit back and relax. Agreed?"  
"Agreed."  
She smiled and raised her arms. Starsky lifted her gently out of the bed and sat her in the wheelchair. After unlocking the brakes, he pushed her into Hutch's room. The blonde was sleeping peacefully, his chest rising and falling steadily. Starsky pushed the chair up beside the bed, and stepped back.  
Micki gazed at her husband, smiling through her tears. She reached out and caressed his face, then laid her cheek on his hand. Hutch stirred, opening his eyes. He looked down at the dark hair, and laid his other hand on the soft tresses.   
Starsky whispered softly. "Micki, look."  
Micki raised her head and looked into sky-blue eyes. Slowly, she stood up enough to touch her lips to his.   
"I love you, Ken Hutchinson. Get well soon. I miss you."  
Hutch smiled and touched her cheek. "I love you, Micki Hutchinson. Get well soon. I miss you, too."  
The nurse swiped at her eyes furtively, and then stepped forward. "It's time, Mrs. Hutchinson. You need to get back to bed. You'll be seeing each other again, real soon."  
Micki winked mischievously at her husband. "I know we will." She kissed him once more, then sat back in the wheel chair.   
Starsky squeezed his partner's hand. "I'll be right back, buddy. Micki's been AWOL long enough."  
Hutch nodded and closed his eyes. The brunette took Micki back into her room, and helped her back into bed.  
"Are you satisfied now? You take it easy, and mind the nurses. I'm going to talk to Hutch, then Tracy and I are going to get something to eat. You get some sleep, hear?"  
Micki grinned, "Yes, Davy. I'll behave, for now."

 

Two days later, Micki and Hutch had recovered enough to be moved out of the ICU. Starsky and Tracy immediately cornered their doctors outside of the unit. When Starsky told the doctors what he wanted, they looked incredulously at him.  
"Detective, that is highly irregular!"  
"Doc, this whole case has been highly irregular! If you don't put them together, I'll tell you what's going to happen. They'll be sneaking out of their rooms, and crawling across the hall the minute your nurses are out of sight. Mark my words, they're going to drive you crazy if you try to separate them."  
"I'm not sure if our regulations will allow them to be in the same room!"  
Tracy stepped in. "Why not? They are married, after all. Let's face it; they aren't in any condition to do anything inappropriate. I know my partner. She'll be so worried about Sergeant Hutchinson that you won't be able to keep her in bed. That will set her recovery back significantly. Wouldn't be better if they were in the same room, where they could recuperate without any emotional stress?"   
Dr. Shaper sighed. "Very well, I'll ask our administrator for permission. But I won't allow their behavior to disrupt this hospital. I'm holding you both responsible. Am I making myself clear?"  
Tracy nodded. "Very clear. We'll make sure there aren't any disruptions. Micki will behave herself as long as she's with Ken. Thank-you, Doctor."  
He huffed. "Don't thank me yet. I'll let you know our administrator's decision as soon as possible."  
With that, he stalked off toward the administration offices. Tracy watched him go, muttering under her breath.  
"And if she doesn't, I'll kill her myself."  
Incredibly, the administrator gave permission for Hutch and Micki to be in the same hospital room. Five days after they were attacked by Simonetti, a bizarre parade marched down the hall of the hospital's third floor. Two hospital beds, carrying Micki and Hutch, rolled toward their destination, followed by Starsky and Tracy. The furniture had been rearranged to accommodate the extra bed in the usually private room. Finally, they were together again. The four detectives celebrated with a drink: coffee for Starsky, a soda for Tracy, and ice water for the two patients.  
Micki sipped hers and frowned. "Come on, guys. I know wine is out of the question, but water? Can't we have some coffee, at least?"  
Tracy nodded sagely. "You can have coffee, but no sugar, and no cream. You're still on a liquid diet. Still want it?"  
"No. I'd rather drink battery acid. Some party this is."  
Starsky kissed her cheek. "Hey, the fact that you guys are still alive is celebration enough. The real party can come later."  
Micki smiled. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But, I'm bored."  
All three detectives groaned. Tracy rolled her eyes. "Oh, God. Micki, you just got out of the ICU. If you're bored already, you must be feeling better. We've got to get you out of here before you get me into trouble."  
"Now, how on Earth am I going to get you into trouble?"  
"I promised Dr. Shaper and the administrator that if you and Ken were together, you'd behave yourself. The administrator almost had a stroke when Dr. Shaper told him that we wanted you in the same room. So, whatever you do, don't make any waves!"  
Micki grumbled. "Well, you sure know how to take the fun out of life. I guess I can behave for a little while, but the sooner we're out of here, the better."  
Hutch raised the head of his bed so he could sit up. "I'm with you, Mick. I'll be happy just to get back home. I've seen enough hospitals to last me a life time."  
Starsky held his hand up. "Now, hold on, you two. You're both getting better, but you won't be going anywhere for a while yet. Don't rush anything. You don't want to have to come back."  
Hutch sighed. "I know. I'm just tired of lying in this bed. I want everything to get back to normal, whatever that is."  
"It will, buddy. You'll be back in your own bed in no time."  
As the days passed, both Hutch and Micki grew stronger. Starsky and Tracy alternated between the hospital and the station. The review hearing, plus the entire incident with Simonetti, had rocked the whole precinct. The Commissioner himself had ordered a full investigation into the procedures of the Internal Affairs department. Simonetti had frightened everyone concerned. Griffey promised that steps would be taken to monitor all detectives in the division. If any other officer displayed abnormal behavior, he would be given a psychiatric evaluation, before his actions became critical.   
Gradually, the recovering detectives were allowed to get out of bed, and all IV's were discontinued. Hutch started physical therapy, where he worked hard to regain his strength. Although he was tired, and the therapy was often painful, he was thankful that he was getting better.  
Most of Micki's problems came from the bandages on her hands. It was difficult to eat, and impossible to pick up a pen, or hold a hairbrush for long. Fortunately, as her hands healed, the bandages grew smaller and smaller. Finally, only a light layer of gauze covered the stitches. But, when Dr. Shaper told her it was time to take the stitches out, Micki was both excited and apprehensive. She wasn't vain about her looks, but the thought of over three hundred stitches scared her. She had no idea of what her hands would look like once the bandages were removed. Strangely, the wound on her face didn't bother her. There would only be one thin scar, and her hair would cover it.   
When the doctor came in to remove the stitches, he told the nurses to close the curtain, separating Hutch from the proceedings. This didn't help Hutch's nerves, either. He wanted to be there for his wife, no matter what the outcome was. He lay in his bed, vainly trying to read the newspaper, while his mind drifted to the other side of the curtain. The silence worried him. The sound of the scissors cutting through the gauze seemed unnaturally loud. He could hear Dr. Shaper's soft voice, giving the nurses instructions. Micki hadn't said a word since the curtain was closed.  
Finally, he heard the doctor speak. "Now, remember, your hands aren't healed completely. It will take some time for the redness and swelling to go away. In a few months, the scars will be barely noticeable. Try not to be too upset."  
Hutch closed his eyes, his heart aching for Micki. He sat up as the nurse pushed the curtain back, and then left the room. Quietly, he got out of bed, and sat on Micki's. She was lying on her side, facing away from him. Her hands were clenched into fists, close to her chest. The tenseness in her body belied her distress. Gently, Hutch lay beside her, and turned her to him. Finally, she broke down, crying with harsh, racking sobs. He held her close, resting his cheek on her head.  
"I'm here, Mick. Go ahead. Let it out. It's going to be OK. We'll get through this, together."  
Eventually, Micki fell asleep, exhausted. Hutch eased himself out of bed, and went back to his side of the room. He was just getting back into his own bed when Starsky and Tracy came in. He quickly put a finger to his lips, and motioned at Micki.   
Keeping his voice low, he explained what had happened. "The doctor took the bandages off this afternoon. She's pretty upset. He said the scars will fade in a few months, but right now, they're red and look bad. She finally cried herself to sleep."  
Starsky laid a hand on his partner's shoulder. "Is there anything we can do to make her feel better?"  
Hutch shook his head. "I don't know. Damn Simonetti! We finally get rid of Carruthers, and Simonetti makes things even worse! When the Hell are we going to get any peace?"  
Tracy put her arms around him and hugged him. "She'll be OK, Ken. Micki's strong. You can't keep her down for long."  
"I hope so, but how much can one person take? I don't want her to feel self conscious at her own wedding."  
Tracy thought for a minute, then snapped her fingers. "She won't. I have an idea. I'll be back in the morning, right after breakfast. Tell Micki not to take a shower until I get here. I think I know something that will make her feel better."  
Hutch nodded. "OK, I'll tell her. I'm open to any suggestions, at this point."  
Starsky smiled encouragingly. "Meanwhile, why don't you slip your robe on and we'll take a walk? You want to keep your strength up so the doc will let you go home soon."  
"Sure, why not? I'll leave the door open so we can hear Micki if she wakes up."  
The next morning, Micki was still quiet, but seemed to be coping better with the scars on her hands. Eating was still painful for her, but she refused to give in to the pain. Tracy came in a few minutes after breakfast, carrying a paper bag. She sat it down beside Micki. The dark-haired detective looked up at her partner, and raised one eyebrow.   
Tracy grinned. "It's a surprise. Come on, I'll help you shower."  
"Tracy, in case you've forgotten, I've been taking showers all by myself for quite a while now."  
"I haven't forgotten, but this time, I'm going to help. Come on, we used to climb in the same bathtub all the time. You haven't got anything I haven't seen already."  
In spite of herself, Micki giggled. "OK, partner, whatever you say. I'm curious to see what's in that bag."  
The two women went into the bathroom and closed the door. Tracy helped her friend undress, then stood patiently while she showered. After Micki turned the water off, Tracy helped her wrap her hair in a towel, then opened the paper bag. When Micki saw what was inside, her face brightened. Tracy had gone to their apartment, and packed Micki's favorite sleeping shirt (which happened to be Hutch's), and a comfortable pair of sweat pants. With Tracy's help, she got dressed. The buttons on the shirt were difficult to fasten, but Micki managed it by herself. Instead of rolling up the sleeves, like she usually did, she let the cuffs cover her palms. Tracy motioned for her to turn around, then she turned the blow drier on, and dried Micki's hair. Finally, she motioned for Micki to look in the mirror. The smaller girl smiled at her reflection.  
Tracy stood behind her. "Feel better now?"  
"Yeah, I do. Thanks."  
"They will fade, Mick. Besides, they're only scars. They have nothing to do with who you are."  
Micki sighed. "I know. It isn't the scars, Trace. Every time I look at my hands, I see Ken lying on that floor. I thought he was dead. I can't get that picture out of my mind. I know he's waiting for me in the other room, but these scars are a constant reminder that I almost lost him."  
"I thought it was something like that. You wouldn't get that upset over a few scars. But, you have to let go of that memory and move on now. You and Ken are alive, and that's all that matters. The scars will fade in time, and so will the memory of that day. We all have so many reasons to be thankful. Don't let Simonetti take that away."  
Tracy held out her little finger. "It's you and me against the world, sis."  
Micki smiled and hooked her finger in Tracy's. "Forever and always, kid."  
The two women walked out of the bathroom and joined Starsky and Hutch. Micki walked over to Hutch and put her arms around his waist. She looked up at him.   
"I was so scared! I kept trying to get to you, but Simonetti wouldn't let me. I begged him to let me go to you, but he just laughed. The last thing I remember is kissing you and thinking that you were dead."  
Hutch held her close. "I'm sorry. But, I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere. I love you, Micki. The man said, for better or for worse, remember?"  
"I remember, but lately it seems like we've been getting more 'worse' than 'better'."  
He tipped her face up toward him with a finger under her chin, and kissed her gently. "Not any more, sweetheart. From now on, it's only good times."  
As Huggy had predicted, one month after Simonetti attacked Hutch and Micki, the two couples were getting ready for their wedding. Since the wedding was taking place at the park, Starsky and Hutch got dressed at Hutch's apartment, while Micki and Tracy went to Micki's mother's house.   
Hutch's parents arrived the day before the wedding. After hearing about the ordeal they had endured, they were grateful that their son was alive. Hutch and his father had made peace long ago, and when the senior Hutchinson found out that Micki was a police officer also, he simply smiled.  
"I should have known. Well, if you two made it through this nightmare, you can handle anything. I still worry about you, son, but you're a grown man and capable of choosing your own way."  
Hutch smiled back. "Not the two of us, Dad, the four of us. If it hadn't been for Tracy, I wouldn't have a career right now. And Starsky saved my life, again. Simonetti was out of control, and if Starsky hadn't shot him, you'd be going to a double funeral instead of a double wedding."  
Richard Hutchinson turned to Starsky. "David, once again, I'm grateful that my son has you to watch over him. I hope you and Tracy have a long, happy marriage."  
"Thanks, Mr. H. I know Hutch would do the same thing for me. He has, more times than I can count."  
Nick Starsky came up to stand beside his brother. "Hey, that's what partners are for, right big brother?"  
"You got it, kid. Now, how about you do something for me, and help me get into this monkey suit? It's almost time to go."  
The day of the wedding was picture perfect. The sun was shining, and the early Spring temperature was just right. The small gazebo had been freshly painted and the flowers that climbed the white trellis in front of it were in full bloom. Folding chairs had been set in rows in front of the gazebo, with a red carpet going down the middle of the rows. Micki's childhood dreams were finally coming true. She had known since she was a teenager that she would be married in the park close to her mother's home, and the small gazebo was as beautiful as the largest church in the city. Mother Nature herself had contributed the floral arrangements, better than any florist could design.  
A few blocks away, in the house where she had grown up, Micki looked at her reflection in the mirror. The dress she had found in the small shop was perfect. The store was owned by a Native American family and the couple took pride in the authenticity of their merchandise. Micki had been shopping in the small store for years, and wasn't really surprised when she saw the perfect wedding gown hanging on the rack in the back room. Marilyn Wingfeather told Micki that if the gown was meant for her, it would fit her perfectly and wouldn't need any alterations. She said it had hung on the rack waiting for the right bride to come along and wear it at her wedding. When Micki put on the dress, and the white-feathered headpiece, it was like the dress had been made for her. Micki's mom, and Tracy, had been speechless when she walked out of the dressing room. Tracy had told her that she felt like she'd been transported back to another time, and Micki was the tribe's Princess, preparing !to marry a great warrior.  
Now Micki stood in the living room, trying vainly to slow her heartbeat. She reasoned with herself. The hardest part was over. She and Ken were already married. All they were doing today was reaffirming their vows. So why was she so nervous?  
Tracy walked up beside her friend, and two beautiful brides stood side by side. Tracy's dress was more modern than Micki's, with tiny pearls embroidered on the bodice. The neckline was slightly lower, and the pearl necklace that she wore accented the gown perfectly. Her blonde hair was upswept, and the headpiece was studded with pearls also, completing the ensemble.   
Micki's and Tracy's mothers, along with Rachel Starsky stood in the back of the room and beamed. Rachel came up to Tracy.   
"You both are so beautiful. I'm so glad David found you. He's had so much heartache in his life. He deserves to be happy, and I know you'll make him happy."  
Tracy smiled. "He makes me happy, too, Rachel. I've never known anyone as caring, and as wonderful as he is. I love your son, very much."  
Rachel dabbed at the corner of her eyes. "Now, don't get me started. The wedding hasn't even begun, and I'm crying already."  
Tracy's mom, Brenda, patted Rachel on her back. "It's OK, you're not alone. As long as they're happy tears, you're allowed."  
There was a knock on the door, and Edith Dobey stuck her head in. "How are things coming? Do you need any help?"  
Micki nodded. "We need all the help we can get. It's almost time, and we still have to finish getting dressed. I don't want to be late for my own wedding."  
She motioned to her veil, which was still on the hangar. "How in the world do you put that thing on?"  
Edith smiled. "It's not that hard. I'll show you, but first, I have something for you. I made them especially for today."  
Micki looked quizzically at the small box, then opened it. Inside lay a pair of white cotton gloves with the fingers removed. She put them on, and they fit perfectly. Although the redness had disappeared, the healing cuts on her hands were still very sensitive, and even a light breeze could cause discomfort. The cotton felt good against her skin. Micki hugged Edith and kissed her cheek.  
"They're beautiful. Thank-you so much! I love them."  
"I made four more pairs, with different colors and materials. I know how frustrating it is when you can't use your hands because of the pain. Someday, you won't need them, but for now, I hope they help."   
"They have, more than you know."  
Soon, all the women in the wedding party were ready to go. Edith, Carrie, Rachel, and Brenda left first, in Edith's car.   
Tracy's dad looked his daughter up and down, and beamed. "You look beautiful, darlin'. You're just as pretty as your momma was on our wedding day."  
"Thanks, Daddy. I'm just glad that you and mom could be here today. With everything that's happened, we couldn't have done it without your help."  
Jim Edwards kissed his daughter gently on her forehead. "I wouldn't be anywhere else, pumpkin. Well, are you ready? Your bridegroom is waiting for you."  
Tracy took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm ready, Daddy."  
Micki's stepdad walked over to her and kissed her on the cheek. "Come on, baby girl, it's time. You don't want to leave the groom hangin', do you?"  
"No, I don't. I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be."  
Before he started out the door, Frank Gentry looked at his stepdaughter. "I know you wish your father were here, Micki, but I'm glad you asked me to walk you down the aisle. I'd like to think your daddy was sittin' up in Heaven right now, watching you. I'm sure he'd be proud of his little girl."  
Micki stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Frank. I feel like he is, too. And you took care of us for a long time. You treated us like we were yours. Who else would I ask to give me away?"  
Frank swiped clumsily at his eyes and smiled. "Come on, baby girl, we've got a wedding to go to."  
Starsky and Hutch stood in the gazebo and waited for the girls to arrive. Hutch looked over at his partner. Starsky's dark hair accentuated his pale face.   
The blonde whispered forcefully. "If you faint on me, I'll never speak to you again!"  
Starsky hissed back. "If you faint on me, I'll kill you! Anyway, what are you so nervous about? You've already done this once. This is my first time!"  
"Well, I was drunk the last time, so it doesn't count. So, just take deep breaths and for God's sake, don't throw up! It will be over soon."  
"Gee, thanks, buddy. I wasn't feelin' sick until you mentioned it. It better be over soon."  
Edith Dobey sat in the second row and watched the two bridegrooms carefully. She nudged Carrie and whispered, "They look like they're holding each other up. What do you think?"  
Carrie nodded and whispered back. "I think if one goes, we'll lose them both."  
Frank and Jim helped the wedding party down the steps and onto the sidewalk. Huggy Bear stood by a long, white limousine and waited. The black man had traded his normally flamboyant attire for a simple black tux. The three bride's-maids followed Micki and Tracy into the back of the limo, and Frank and Jim got into the front with Huggy. Huggy drove the few blocks to the park and pulled up against the curb, in front of the red carpet.   
Huggy got out of the limo and walked around to the passenger side. Frank and Jim got out and stood on the opposite side of the passenger door. Huggy opened the door and helped the bride's-maids out of the car. One by one, Micki's two sisters and their friend, Kerry, stepped out of the limousine and walked slowly up the aisle. Then Jim stepped forward and helped Tracy out. He linked his arm with hers and walked her up the aisle behind the other girls.  
Frank and Huggy turned and offered their hands to Micki. She stepped out of the limo and onto the carpet. She spoke softly to her stepfather.  
'Don't let me fall on my face, Frank."  
"I won't let you fall, baby girl."  
Starsky and Hutch watched as the bride's-maids walked up the aisle. When they saw Tracy, and Micki, their nervousness disappeared. Two pairs of blue eyes shined with love as they watched their brides walking toward them. Suddenly, the crowd was gone, and only they and the Justice of the Peace remained. Gary Rogers stood patiently until the wedding march was finished, then turned to the crowd.  
"Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to celebrate a double joy. These two couples have endured much pain and suffering over the past few months, but their love for each other has brought them through even stronger than before. Today, we will join them together in holy matrimony. Their vows will carry them through the darkest night, for what God joins together, no man can destroy."  
Solemnly, Gary performed the ceremony, turning first to Starsky and Tracy, and then to Hutch and Micki. As the two couples kissed, there were more than a few tears in the crowd. Gary motioned for them to turn around.  
"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present Sergeant and Mrs. David Starsky, and Sergeant and Mrs. Kenneth Hutchinson?"  
The guests stood and applauded as the newlyweds walked down the stairs.

 

Paved With Love

The circle is closed forever  
Four hearts now beating as one  
Four beautiful souls joined in harmony  
their hearts shining in the sun  
Where these four people travel through life together  
The road will be less rough  
Because for them  
This road of life  
will always be paved with love

~~~~~  
Silverladynl  
5/29/2002  
Netherlands


End file.
